The idea for "Cold Turkey" was a good one, and it had a lot of potential. It could have been a first-rate satire, but instead we have a film that goes part way and then losses its steam. So, it comes off like a light-hearted soap opera.
The film has a few good laughs, but as another reviewer noted, it begins to wear thin. It's too long for the content. Had there been more meat with the potatoes, it could have become a full-scale satire. I'll grant that it starts in that direction, but most of the film is obvious and repetitious. Great satire sneaks up without warning and sometimes doesn't make much of a noise. It comes out in witty dialog or clever scenes that we viewers don't expect. But this plot, with all the buildup and TV coverage as part of the story leaves little room for anything surprising. So, instead it seems like tongue-in-cheek preaching to the audience. It tells us that this is dumb, that these people are in denial, the pastor is a hypocrite, the people are just grubbers, etc.
Those who think this is great satire should watch masterful examples. Start with "Dr. Strangelove," "The Mouse that Roared," "The Great Dictator," and "Ninotchka." Then see how this movie stacks up. There can be no real comparison.
For the parts they had to play, most of the cast are OK. Dick Van Dyke, Edward Everett Horton and Tom Poston have been in much better comedies and roles than they have here. Again, it's an idea with a lot of potential. Norman Lear just needed to be a little more creative and imaginative. One shouldn't announce that people are about to see a satire, and then deliver them predictable bits and pieces. Without its comedic punch, satire slips into lecturing and finger pointing. My five stars are for the idea, a few laughs, and the decent effort some of the cast put into their roles.
The film has a few good laughs, but as another reviewer noted, it begins to wear thin. It's too long for the content. Had there been more meat with the potatoes, it could have become a full-scale satire. I'll grant that it starts in that direction, but most of the film is obvious and repetitious. Great satire sneaks up without warning and sometimes doesn't make much of a noise. It comes out in witty dialog or clever scenes that we viewers don't expect. But this plot, with all the buildup and TV coverage as part of the story leaves little room for anything surprising. So, instead it seems like tongue-in-cheek preaching to the audience. It tells us that this is dumb, that these people are in denial, the pastor is a hypocrite, the people are just grubbers, etc.
Those who think this is great satire should watch masterful examples. Start with "Dr. Strangelove," "The Mouse that Roared," "The Great Dictator," and "Ninotchka." Then see how this movie stacks up. There can be no real comparison.
For the parts they had to play, most of the cast are OK. Dick Van Dyke, Edward Everett Horton and Tom Poston have been in much better comedies and roles than they have here. Again, it's an idea with a lot of potential. Norman Lear just needed to be a little more creative and imaginative. One shouldn't announce that people are about to see a satire, and then deliver them predictable bits and pieces. Without its comedic punch, satire slips into lecturing and finger pointing. My five stars are for the idea, a few laughs, and the decent effort some of the cast put into their roles.