Checking Out (1989 film)
Checking Out is a 1988 American comedy film, directed by David Leland and starring Jeff Daniels.[3]
| Checking Out | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | David Leland |
| Written by | Joe Eszterhas |
| Produced by | Ben Myron Garth Thomas George Harrison Denis O'Brien |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ian Wilson |
| Edited by | Lee Percy |
| Music by | Carter Burwell |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $31,000 US[1] £1,200 (UK)[2] |
Plot
Ray Macklin 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.
Cast
- Jeff Daniels as Ray Macklin
- Melanie Mayron as Jenny Macklin
- Michael Tucker as Harry Lardner
- Kathleen York as Diana
- Ann Magnuson as Connie Hagen
- Allan Havey as Pat Hagen
- Jo Harvey Allen as Barbara
- Ian Wolfe as Mr. D'Amato
- Billy Beck as Father Carmody
- Trudy Dochterman as Val (as Trudi Dochtermann)
- John Durbin as Spencer Gillinger
- Adelle Lutz as Dr. Helmsley
- Felton Perry as Dr. Duffin
- Allan Rich as Dr. Haskell
- Danton Stone as Dr. Wolfe
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 20% based on reviews from 5 critics.[4]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 2 out of 4, and wrote: "The problem with Checking Out is that it provides us with fears we can understand and responses that seem to have been phoned in from a sitcom."[5]
Home media
MGM released a full screen DVD in 2003. Image Entertainment released a new DVD of the film, as well as a Blu-ray of the film on January 18, 2011.
References
- Checking Out at Box Office Mojo
- "Back to the Future: The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s - An Information Briefing" (PDF). British Film Institute. 2005. p. 20.
- James, Caryn (April 21, 1989). "Checking Out (1989) Review/Film; Hoping to Stay Alive To Hear Life's Punch Line". The New York Times.
- "Checking Out (1989)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- Ebert, Roger (May 5, 1989). "Checking Out movie review & film summary (1989)". Roger Ebert.