DICKIE ROBERTS, FORMER CHILD STAR

US, 2003, 98 minutes, Colour.
David Spade, Doris Roberts, Mary Mc Cormack, Craig Bierko, Rob Reiner, Leif Garrett, Tom Arnold, Corey Feldman, Dick Van Patten.
Directed by Sam Weisman.

Gossip columns frequently relish the chance to inform readers how former child stars, who had really made it big in television series, have fallen on hard times, addicted, bankrupt, lives ruined. At the end of this uneven but amiable spoof, about 20 former child stars (their names and series listed on screen in case we never heard of them or have forgotten) join together as a choir to sing an ironic song about fame and celebrity.

Before that, however, we have a thumbnail sketch of Dickie Roberts, the abandoned child of a monstrous mother (Doris Roberts) who found headlines and fans as a child star. Then the series was canned and Dickie, who claimed to be the son of David Soul, boxes, valets cars and other jobs to eke out a living. When he tries to set up a possible show with director Rob Reiner (playing himself) which requires him to be like a child, he stays with a family for a month - and, as you would guess, antagonism on the part of the children turns to admiration and love and Dickie discovers what it is to be nice and human. This part of the film runs the risk of being a bit icky in the American TV way. However, David Spade is an odd screen presence, looking genial part of the time but looking suspicious at other times - but, perhaps, that is the way someone like Dickie Roberts would turn out. Mary Mc Cormack is very nice as the mother of the family. In the meantime, there are jokes at Hollywood's expense, especially of the TV industry, and guest stars, like Brendan Fraser, popping in and out. For audiences who know their sitcoms and their former child stars, this should be a treat.

1. The initial parody with its dark side? The focus on Dickie Roberts, his life and ambitions and the slapstick comedy? The world of auditions for television shows? Life in an ordinary household? The finale with its gallery of former child stars singing the ironic song? The overall tone of the blending of these elements?

2. The Hollywood setting, Los Angeles? Hotels, homes, studios? The expected world of Los Angeles and the world of show business? The musical score, the range of songs, the lyrics of the final song and the gallery of characters singing, irony at their own expense and their child careers?

3. The title and its tone, Dickie Roberts as symbolic of so many child stars? The irony of the former child star title?

4. The opening collage, the details about Dickie's life, his parents, his mother abandoning him and her self-centred attitudes? His being in the cast of the television series, the tone of the series, the mock look at the style of such shows as The Brady Bunch? His growing up, the producers and their ruthlessness, his being out of a job, abandoned?

5. Dickie Roberts at thirty-five: David Spade and his screen presence, comedy, irony, mugging, slapstick? His work as a valet for cars at the hotel? His meeting celebrities, his wanting to revive his career? His relationship with his agent, his agent trying to get jobs for him? His relationship with Cyndi, her dumping him? The possibility of an audition with Rob Reiner? His getting in, Reiner and his doing favours for Cyndi? Telling Dickie that he was right for the part but needed to have an experience of family life? Rob Reiner acting himself, sending himself up, the road-rage accident, his being the victim of Dickie's own misbehaviour, the promise by the agent of giving Rob Reiner a kidney? The parody of deals in Hollywood?

6. Dickie and his character, his decision to find a family, the ad? His going to the Finney home? George as a car salesman with an ultra-smooth manner? Grace, her niceness, the antagonism of Sam and Sally? Grace and her not wanting Dickie in the home, George and his reasons for having him? The initial tension, the meals, Dickie's childish behaviour, his faux pas? Grace and her change of heart? The kids, their antagonism towards Dickie, his helping them out, the toys, the tree-house, sharing with them, better than their father? The bonding?

7. The irony of Cyndi and her coming to the house, wanting to resume the relationship? Her callow attitudes? The attraction to George and his looking at her, their eventually running off together?

8. Crisis in the household, Dickie and his ability to resolve all the family problems? His love for Grace? The show, the comeback, his success?

9. His change of heart, that show business wasn't everything? Going back to Grace, to the kids? The sitcom happy ending with their getting married - and creating their own Emmy-winning sitcom?

10. The transition from the glossy sitcom finale to the gathering of former child stars, their exposing themselves by being names, their shows, memories of their past success, the lyrics of the song and their irony?

11. The overall effect of the parody of the sitcom combined with the ironic scenes sending up the sitcom mentality?