Dying of Laughter (1999)

This black comedy is a garish misfire from talented director Alex de la Iglesia. The opening sequence is killer, but shortly thereafter the film loses its footing and never quite recovers. Part of the problem, I think, is the tone. The director's previous films have been effective because they were exaggerated and over-the-top from the get-go and took pains to create worlds in which de la Iglesia's particular brand of cartoonish mayhem felt natural. This film, on the other hand, gives us a world not too far divorced from our own, which throws the attempts at lunacy out of whack. By the time the film gives up on realism and tries to become a piece with de la Iglesia's other films, it's too little too late. (The drill in the foot and the midget in the suitcase were admittedly nice touches, but still.) Also, the chemistry between the two leads never gels -- the relationship is far too adversarial from the beginning, so that the hatred and paranoia that develops feels obligatory rather than discomforting in the manner of the best black comedies. There's probably a good film yet to be made on the subject of the abusive aspects of comedy teams (especially ones involved in slapstick), but this ain't it.

Grade: C