Writer Zach Huttons (John Ritter)life is falling apart. He has writers block, can't stop drinking, can't stop womanizing, his agent is dying AND his wife Alex (Alyson Reed) understandably wants to divorce him. We then get a series of supposedly "comic" struggles involving his womanizing and drinking.

Director Blake Edwards made some of the best comedies and dramas ever early in his career ("The Pink Panther" and "Days of Wine and Roses" come to mind) and even a few in the 1980s ("Victor Victoria"). But he then made a whole bunch of disastrous comedies in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. This is one of them. It's not the worst ("A Fine Mess" and "Switch" are much worse) but it's definitely not good. The jokes are either unfunny or pretty sick (one cruel joke involving a dog almost had me turn this off). The cast does their best (Ritter is especially good) but it's a no go. The one funny scene involves glow in the dark condoms. When THAT'S the funniest scene you know you're in trouble. Unfunny and boring. A 1 all the way.

John Ritter plays Zach, a writer with writer's block who also is a womanizer, a drunk and a selfish jerk. When the story begins, Zach's destroying yet another marriage by cheating on his spouse. The story consists of watching Zach screw up his life again and again.

Despite being written and directed by Blake Edwards, this film is NOT a comedy...though some reviewers inexplicably thought it was hilarious. It has a few mildly funny moments (such as the cock fight and, although very sick, the bit involving Harry) but I don't think Edwards intended it as a comedy but a portrait of an incredibly screwed up man....and on that level the film does work. You dislike and possibly hate Zach...but you also can't help but think that Edwards and Ritter did a fine job of making a realistic self-destructive man. In some ways, it reminded me of one of Edwards' earliest successes..."Days of Wine and Roses". And, on that level, the film worked well for me. Overall, while very unpleasant to watch at times, a very well made picture.



One thing to note. If you do watch the film, don't be surprised with all the nudity. It isn't surprising based on the material....but I thought you should know.

Zach Hutton (John Ritter) is a bearded alcoholic award-winning writer with a bit of a writer's block. He claims to want monogamy but he can't stop womanizing. His wife divorces him and takes most of his stuff. His life starts falling apart as he cannot stop drinking or womanizing.

The character is not appealing but John Ritter is. I would like this to be a dark comedy. The first half has elements of that but the broad physical comedy keeps poking its head into the movie. The movie goes full slapstick soon enough and I'm not feeling it. First thing first, the wife Alex needs a more charismatic actress. It's probably Blake Edwards' vision of a wife character. She needs to be at least be close to Ritter's screen presence but Blake wants her to be dull. There are some memorable stuff in this movie. The muscle blonde, the light sabre fight, the electrocution aftermath are all memorable. If the tone fits the subject better, this could actually be funny.