The film stars Norm Macdonald, who, even when he's being interviewed, comes off like a zombie impersonating a game-show host; when he attempts to act, he's even stiffer. He plays Willard, manservant to Miss Crock (Elaine Stritch), a sadistic biddy who treats him worse than her dog. Instead of quitting, he comes up with a convoluted scheme to kidnap the pooch, and then himself. He and his partner (Dave Chappelle) enlist the aid of an undertaker played by Danny DeVito, who, beneath a Musketeer beard and comb-over fright wig, looks and sounds exactly like Danny DeVito.
There are poo-poo jokes, dental-plate jokes, moldy-corpse jokes, Jack Lord jokes, and ''old lady getting dragged down the stairs'' jokes. With any other filmmakers, I would have called this cynicism. In the case of Alexander and Karaszewski, it's more like masochism: They appear to be locking themselves in the screenwriters' doghouse and reveling in their worst notions of what they think Hollywood wants. Good Scott! Good Larry! Now, please, go back to doing what you do so well.
