The Singing Detective is Possibly the Worst Movie of All Time!

Although Keith Gordon began his film career as an actor in a couple Brian De Palma flicks, The Singing Detective looks like it was directed by someone who had never seen a movie. Is it possible that Gordon, coming from an indie-infatuated generation, doesn’t even know the splendid Pennies from Heaven? Gordon fails to create a fantasy-based tone. He blandly directs and edits dialogue, not emotions. Downey provides some feeling when Dark warbles "It’s All in the Game" to a grumpy nurse, and his eyes reveal pools of sadness. But the fantasy scenes lack the buoyancy of Downey’s performance in Heart and Souls. And the shrink-and-patient rapport between Dark and his doctor (Mel Gibson doing a startling Robin Williams impersonation) suggests a parody duet that doesn’t sing.

Oh gosh - if only I'd read Armond White's review of The Singing Detective before being convinced to see it instead of Kill Bill (although admittedly, I didn't fight very hard). The Singing Detective includes long, long close ups of Robert Downey Jr. both with some absurd "skin disease" make up and without, and both images are equally revolting. There is not nanosecond of interesting performance from the cast, which also includes Adrien Brody and Mel Gibson. I'm shocked this film was even made. It's only the third movie I've walked out of in my life, although I made it through about 70 minutes (60 minutes longer than Adriana). If this doesn't end Downey Jr.'s career, what possibly could?