Main Cast: Jeff Daniels, Melanie Mayron, Michael Tucker, Kathleen York, Allan Havey
Release Year: 1989
Country: UK/US
Run Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Jeff Daniels stars in this tedious situation comedy concerning the middle-aged terror of illness and mortality. Scripted by Joe Eszterhas, Daniels plays Southern Californian Ray Macklin, who thinks he will live forever but realizes the fallacy of his idea when his best friend drops dead in front of him after issuing the set-up to the old joke, "Why don't Italians like barbecues?" (Which begs the question, "Why can't Joe Eszterhas write funny scripts?" The answer: "He did. Showgirls.") Anyway, after that shock trauma, Macklin becomes convinced that he is set to suffer the same fate and, as a result, becomes a raving hypochondriac. As Macklin continually clutches his chest and checks his heart monitor, he sinks himself deeper and deeper into the mindset that he is doomed, even though his tests turn out fine. All of this comes to a head in a bizarre dream sequence in which Macklin imagines Heaven as a Hawaiian resort populated by extras from a Federico Fellini picture. At that point, he wills himself to return to consciousness after surgery to remove his appendix. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Ann Magnuson - Connie Hagen; Jo Harvey Allen - Barbara; Felton Perry - Dr. Duffin; Ian Wolfe - Mr. D'Amato; John Durbin - Spencer Gittinger; Billy Beck - Fr. Carmody; Trudi Dochtermann - Val; Joe Gosha - Andrews; Matthew Hurley - Joey Macklin; Doug Koth - Workman; Dan Leegant - Drunk; Mark Lowenthal - Phillips; Ruth Manning - Dr. Duffin's Receptionist; Randy Pelish - Spencer's Driver; Danton Stone - Dr. Wolfe; Joe Unger - Joe; David Byrne - Barkeeper; Adelle Lutz - Dr. Helmsley; Allan Rich - Dr. Haskell; Stephen Tobolowsky - Pharmacist; Dean Abston - Security Guard; Beth Barish - Heaven Singer; John Cherrod - Coffin Truck Driver; Martin Doyne - Surgeon; Neal Fugate - Heaven Singer; Robert Goyette - Doctor; Janet Jeffries - Heaven Singer; Adam Karwowsky - Heaven Singer; William Kerr - Policeman; Kevin Mockrin - Young Pat; Lydia Nielson - Mrs. Feldman; Courtney Sonne - Mo Macklin; Kirsten Trucksess - Stewardess; Andrea Walker - Heaven Singer; Benjamin Wendel - Young Ray; Denis Wisner - Denis Hagen; Jimi Wisner - Pat Hagen, Jr.
Credit
Richard Hoover - Art Director, Elisabeth Leustig - Casting, Ben Myron - Co-producer, Garth Thomas - Co-producer, Adelle Lutz - Costume Designer, David Leland - Director, Lee Percy - Editor, Carter Burwell - Composer (Music Score), Valli O'Reilly - Makeup, Barbara Ling - Production Designer, Ian Wilson - Cinematographer, George Harrison - Producer, Denis O'Brien - Producer, Nancy Haigh - Set Designer, Robbie Knott - Special Effects, Ray Lykins - Stunts, Joe Eszterhas - Screenwriter
Ray Macklin (Daniels) is obsessed with his own mortality. When a close friend suddenly dies of a heart attack at a barbecue, Ray becomes convinced that every ache, pain and twinge he experiences is a sign of his own impending death. His unjustified fears lead him into ever more extensive hypochondria.
