CHECKING OUT
US, 1988, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jeff Daniels, Melanie Mayron, Michael Tucker, Ann Magnusson.
Directed by David Leland.
Checking Out is a comedy about death. It was directed by David Leland, writer of the story of Cynthia Payne, Personal Services, and writer-director of its prequel, Wish You Were Here. On this evidence, director Leland is not entirely at home on the American scene (although he is working from a screenplay by Joe Eszterhas).
The comedy seems strained. Jeff Daniels is not a particularly engaging hero: a pain in pain. There is much raucous comedy about illness, hypochondria as well as a fantasy about a very dull Heaven.
All in all, the film does not work particularly well. (There is a song by the Travelling Wilburys - the film was produced by George Harrison's Handmade company -and a song by Roy Orbison; the film was made just before Orbison's death.)
1. A comedy about health, death?
2. Californian setting, offices, suburbs, doctors? Musical score? The songs used: 'End of the Line,' 'Only the Lonely?'
3. The focus on death and the euphemisms about death: losing him, passing on, checking out? Contemporary fable for middle-aged executives?
4. Pat and Ray as young, their hopes, flying and astronauts? The irony of the transition to Pat and the advertisement for Bonnaire? In bad taste? Jokes about safety and money deals? Ray's attitude towards Pat, his secretary, his telling jokes? Pat's party, still telling jokes, the barbecue, suddenly dying? (And the reprise of their youthfulness at the end of the film?
5. Jeff Daniels as Ray: his regard for Pat, dismay at his death, his skill at his work? His family, relationship with Jenny, eating at home, the question of salt? Listening to Pat's jokes? The impact of his dying? His reaction at the hospital, against the doctor who said that Pat was lost? Upset, the dream about his being buried and his children in the grave, leaping out of the window, the roof of the car, the neighbours watching, the security guards coming? Going to the doctor, believing the worst, the range of tests? The psychiatrist and his reaction? Meeting the eccentric millionaire, listening to him, his coat caught in the limo, catching the limo with all the pills and books, scattering them, the police returning his coat? His secretary complaining about being sacked? His behaviour at the funeral, the secretary and Jenny's suspicions? Work at business, Harry and his support, friendship? The businessmen and meetings? Diana and her becoming his secretary, the clash with Barbara (and her severe friend)? The results of the test, going shopping, buying the hydrotherapy equipment, all the health gear? Not having sex, afraid, Joey and his pulse machine? Jenny and her more blatant attitude? Sympathy, anger at his condition? Wandering the night, to Sands, the sea, the bar and being punched, in the car, Barbara and the sexual encounter, breaking his appendix? Not wanting to go on the plane, announcing that there was a bomb scare? In the hospital and dying?
6. His participation in his death, Pat coming to get him, seeing Jenny sad in the corridor, going up to Heaven, jumping the queue, the white Heaven, much like a quiet tele-evangelist show, people doing nothing, not even going into the pool? His accusing Pat of being dead? Not wanting a Heaven doing nothing? Into the pool, coming back to life - coming alive in the hospital, getting out, driving away? His new lease of life? Learning by his hypochondria?
7. The jokes , the punchline, the Italian barbecue?
8. Jenny, her care for her husband, angers, suspicions, wanting, sex, the operation, her sadness, the end? The sketch and the liveliness? Health?
9. Barbara and her infatuation, the sexual encounter? The critical friend?
10. Larry, his friendship, work, ideas?
11. Pat and Connie, marriage, the reality?
12. The undertaker, his-continued presence, smile, wealth, warnings to Ray, being in charge in Heaven?
13. Death as a theme for comedy? How funny was this treatment?
