Checking Out
Checking Out
R | 21 April 1989 (USA)
Checking Out Trailers

When his best friend dies of a heart attack, Ray Macklin becomes a man obsessed with his own mortality. Convinced that all his aches and pains are an indication of his imminent death, Ray's life turns into a slapstick farce of health-crazed anxiety and hypochondria.

Reviews
ada

the leading man is my tpye

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Janae Milner

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

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Nayan Gough

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

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Hayleigh Joseph

This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

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SamHardy

I have seen too many films to count in my 63 years. This one is on my list of top 10. Cynical, absurd, wise, full of unforgettable characters and situations. It may not be everyone's kind of funny, but certainly is mine. Not everyone appreciates dark comedy and this one is dark. I seldom laugh out loud at films, but this one kept me in surgical stitches all the way through. Absolutely chocked full of amazing performances. Check out Jo Harvey Allen in a scene with Jeff Daniels in the front seat of his car. Classic! Michael Tucker does a great turn as Jeff Daniel's Boss. Stephen Tobolowsky is unforgettable as a whacked out pharmacist. All of the actors are given some great material to work with. It must have been a joy for all of them.Keep your eye peeled for David Byrne in a small role as a bar tender. Producer George Harrison (yes that one) also has a small role as a cleaner in heaven. Which is where he currently resides. He is wearing an orange jump suit pushing a broom!I think I will sign off now and go check my blood pressure.

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marbleann

This movie caught me completely off guard. Last night I hit the jackpot for a movie buff I discovered 2 movies that I never heard of before and they both did their job, they were entertaining. The first movie was suppose to be a cheesy horror movie, Defender of the Realm, which was much better then a lot of horror movies I have seen with big budgets and big names. The other movie was this one.Comedy is not one of my favorite genre's, unless it a Mel Brooks or Albert Brooks and I liked Rodney Dangerfield's movies in the 80's. I never understood the fuss over Jim Carey and I am not a Porkeys or Caddyshack or a big Woody Allen fan. I was set to turn the channel but they were at a barbecue and one of the friends are telling these really bad but funny jokes and he suddenly drops to the ground. The guests thinks he is still joking but one has the sense to say "call a ambulance". The laughs come non stop from there. It is a black comedy. The Jeff Daniels character who is a co worker and friend of the dead guy becomes the biggest hypochondriac on film since Rock Husdson in Send me No Flowers. His wife was talking about the dangers of eating salt the day before and he scoffs it off. Now he because of the sudden death of his friend and the ER doctor saying it is not uncommon for that to happen with people his age he believes his days are numbered. The whole film circles around that premise.What makes it hilarious is the various characters he runs into. He goes to a doctor believing he is a medial doctor only to find out hie a psycho therapist. His behavior is so crazy that the cardiologist referred him. He feels there is some conspiracy to lie about his prognosis and he just knows he is going to die, but no one else thinks that way, the therapist has a little cut on his finger and Daniels alarmed about it. What happens is priceless. Before that he meets some man in the waiting room who seems to be his type of guy. Reading medical books, whining about his health and looking for something to be wrong with him. He is suppose to be a health nut because of all of his imagined medical malady's and distrust of doctors, and Daniels wants to read this book he read. Well I am not going to say what happens but it has to be one of the funniest scenes I have ever seen in a movie.This is a movie you have to see. Because it is a black comedy you really can't convey how funny it really is. What is so funny about a man friends dropping dead and he believing he is next?I liked this movie so much I am going right over Amazon or Overstock and buying it if I can.

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lefko-2

There are many many scenes in this movie that are just hilarious. The characters are just great. From this movie I became an Alex Havey fan, as well as the guy who sells him the medical equipment. Whenever I see him in a movie now I always think back to the great scene in this movie when father and son are bonding over hypochondria.My favorite scene is right in the beginning when Melonie Mayron says "We won't do it again," to the security guards after they set off their house alarm. The movie is over the top, but it just keeps coming, The funny thing about the no punchlines comment mentioned above is that the whole movie the Jeff Daniels character is trying to find out the punchline of the joke his friend the Alex Havey character was telling when he dies. The movie is riddled with stupid punchlines.You also may want to know that the backers of this movie include David Byrne and George Harrison.I have to say that this is the first time I reviewed a movie here. This is the one that made me want to do it.

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Seymour Asses

Although many "comedies" turn out to not be so funny, this one never even tries! There are no jokes or humorous situations to be found anywhere in this film. If I didn't know better I'd say Checking Out was written as a drama then re-edited into a comedy. This movie really could have been funny if it had been better written.

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