This film is a remake of a 1982 French film, "Le Pere Noel est une ordure." I am unfamiliar with the original, so I cannot compare the two. On its own, "Mixed Nuts" probably averages three or four laughs per minute. How could it not? The dialog is snappy, and some of the funniest people in America at the time appear in this film such as Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn (who can sometimes make me laugh without saying a word), Adam Sandler, Parker Posey and Liev Schreiber before they had any noteworthy films. There are cameos by funnymen Steven Wright, Jon Stewart, Garry Shandling. Even a barely post-toddler Haley Joel Osment makes an appearance.
The movie has its flaws, but even those are amusing. For instance, every time there is shouting among the characters (which happens frequently) the music score actually competes for attention with some peppy arrangement of a Christmas carol. While this is unnecessary and potentially annoying, it adds one more element for laughter. The setting is original, a soon-to-be-closed apartment used for a suicide hot-line headquarters. The conflict is predictable and maybe a bit shallow (money miracle needed to avoid shutting down), and the payoff is the most unbelievable use of et deux machina that is conceivable. In spite of this, the movie's strengths (dialog and comedy performances) far outweigh these flaws. Take off your serious film face and enjoy this entertaining flick, one which definitely needs a better DVD release.
The movie has its flaws, but even those are amusing. For instance, every time there is shouting among the characters (which happens frequently) the music score actually competes for attention with some peppy arrangement of a Christmas carol. While this is unnecessary and potentially annoying, it adds one more element for laughter. The setting is original, a soon-to-be-closed apartment used for a suicide hot-line headquarters. The conflict is predictable and maybe a bit shallow (money miracle needed to avoid shutting down), and the payoff is the most unbelievable use of et deux machina that is conceivable. In spite of this, the movie's strengths (dialog and comedy performances) far outweigh these flaws. Take off your serious film face and enjoy this entertaining flick, one which definitely needs a better DVD release.