On C List of Movie Reviews

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Checking Out (1988)

Rate: 4
Viewed: 4/20

4/20: Although Joe Eszterhas wrote the screenplay, Checking Out isn't a good movie.

I don't know if he was trying to mimic The Hospital, a film that starred George C. Scott who gave one of his best performances, thanks to Paddy Chayefsky's superior script. No matter what, Joe Eszterhas would do better by coming up with Music Box that was released during the same year.

The trouble is the plot going in too many directions when I thought the hypochondria angle had the most promise. If not for it, I would've been fine if Allan Havey kept spouting punchlines after another the whole time. He's good at it. Unfortunately, it's Jeff Daniels' show. When he's bland, he's bland, turning Checking Out into just exactly that. Nothing works.

At least, there's John Durbin who plays an oddball named Spencer Gillinger. He's a walking contradiction. If Spencer dies soon, it's because he doesn't know what the hell he's doing, and somebody will get a large inheritance from him. If I see the movie again, it will be because of him.

All in all, it's best to think of Checking Out as a bad hiccup for Joe Eszterhas.

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