Smorgasbord (1985)

One of my all time favorites.

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

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.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

I'd like to start by saying I usually enjoy the movies that comedians make as they get older, but everyone seems to pan. I like the later Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, and even the Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu. Most of those comedian's "crap" is ten times more clever than the garbage they come out with now.I think this movie had a lot of potential, but didn't quite get there. It's a sketch movie, which Jerry Lewis successfully pulled off with his directorial debut "The Bellboy," but the plot in this is too thin, even for a sketch movie.There are quite a few good gags, but a lot of bad ones too. It could be the "cheapness" of the film too, but the over the top style that makes Jerry, Jerry, is too much here.I was really surprised by the amount of people who reviewed this movie and loved it. Most seem to put it above "Hardly Working," which I disagree with.I was also disappointed that there was some language in this one. I say this mostly because I can imagine being a parent and showing this to a kid who grew up watching Jerry Lewis movies and hearing him say, "shit," and "Christ all mighty."Not necessary, and particularly odd since he's against that sort of thing in comedy films. I've seen him complain a number of times about modern comedians who swear too much. I know he talks like that in real life, but that's another place. There are just some gags in here that are beneath his caliber.I would recommend this movie only to the die-hard Jerry Lewis fans, of which I am one, but don't be surprised if it's not what you had hoped.

I noticed that one of the reviewers referred to this film as an 'overlooked gem'. I'd beg to differ...So, is "Cracking Up" funny? Yep--for about 2 minutes. That's about the length of the airplane skit. It's VERY funny and highly original but hardly makes it worth sitting through this mess!! I am serious when I say this is one of the only movies I have seen that made me physically ill. The one and only time in my life I had a migraine occurred as I watched this and I know it was the fault of the movie!! For example, the movie begins as Lewis enters a therapist's office and spends the next 75 minutes slipping on the floor and sliding off the vinyl furniture. Okay, maybe it only lasted 30 minutes--but it seemed like it would go on forever. THEN, later in the film he repeated this sequence AGAIN!!!! My head felt like it was ready to explode!! Somebody needed to tell this man to STOP! Fortunately for the studio, this film was not released since they knew it was a bomb and it was later released on cable and video. For this, someone needs to pay! If you LIKE pain and want to see other Jerry Lewis monstrosities, see most of his flicks after his breakup with Dean Martin (particularly Slapstick of Another Kind) and avoid The King of Comedy (where Lewis did an excellent job playing it straight).PS--Despite its being raised to "classic status", The Nutty Professor wasn't funny. At least without the use of alcohol, drugs or a severe blow to the head.

The final Lewis directed opus is his finest. He has never been funnier or more inventive. In the opening sequence, Jerry gets every laugh possible with vinyl. Of course the sequence goes on much too long, but that is exactly what you expect from Jerry. The French costume sketch is very clever. The best gag sequence in the film concerns the waitress and her listing of salad dresssings. I laugh every time I think of this sequence. Most people consider "The Nutty Professor" to be the best Lewis film, but this one is much more fun. I also recommend the first Lewis directed film, "The Bellboy", where Lewis is out to prove that he is a worthy writer-director.

This movie was one of Jerry Lewis's best in my opinion. I really think he is a good actor, director, writer, etc. and this movie definitely showed it. Lewis played a troubled man seemed to be cursed with bad luck. He showed off his talent by playing multiple characters, expressing the goofs that have happened during the course of his life. Must see this movie, it was awesome!