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doomonfilm · 3 years

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Favorites : Dirty Work (1998)

Earlier this week, I received the tragic news of Norm Macdonald’s passing due to complications from Cancer. Macdonald had always been a polarizing comedic enigma that clearly split those who became familiar with him into camps of love and hate, but it was that enigmatic persona that made it no surprise that his fight with Cancer had gone on for years with almost no public knowledge of it. The news hit me extremely hard, as his deadpan style, cavalier attitude and abstract anti-authority approach all spoke to me, so as a tool for immediate grieving I went to an old standby that’s helped me laugh my way out of many depressing times : Dirty Work.

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Dirty Work predates the phenomenon of the Line-O-Rama approach to comedic filmmaking, joining fellow 1998 release club member Half-Baked as harbingers of the style that films like Old School ushered in and made the comedic standard. This approach works perfectly for Dirty Work, as the narrative is not the star of this film. With an ensemble comedic cast at your disposal like the one on hand, all you really need is a story about as complex as the one presented here in order to provide enough dramatic tension to count : dying father, estranged brothers, questionable business for quick money and corrupt businessman form the foundational square that makes up Dirty Work‘s narrative. From there, the green light is given to a decently-sized gathering of comedic mavericks to work off of one another as they mix different shades of non-traditional and traditional comedic chops that span at least three generations of funny people.

With so much humor on display, not to mention the shadow of Norm Macdonald’s death looming over this viewing experience, it really rang out to me just how bittersweet this movie has suddenly become. The film is still incredibly funny (at least to those who buy in to the Norm Macdonald and Bob Saget schools of comedy), but seeing comedic actors and talents like Jack Warden, Don Rickles, Chris Farley and Gary Coleman reminds us of the impermanence of life. On top of this, seeing faces like Artie Lange, Chevy Chase and Ken Norton in the mix remind us of how rocky the journey through life can be, regardless of your financial stature or prominence of star power. While Norm Macdonald may not have ever found the standard “traditional” footing that comes with a comedy career (whatever that may be), it’s nice to know that a film like Dirty Work not only was able to achieve the comedic cult status that it has, but that he was able to include so many friends and influences within the creative expression.

While this film wasn’t necessarily made to be a technically proficient masterpiece, one thing it does well is understand itself in terms of mood, tone and pacing, and these aspects are what allows the comedy to be carried through with little to no resistance, giving us as viewers the chance to turn off our analytical side and embrace a bit of pure, unadulterated silliness. There are tons of setups and callbacks sprinkled throughout the run of the film, be they immediate or separated and doled out through different acts. The film is not afraid to wallow in the muck and mire of low brow, childish comedy, but there are enough witty moments and completely out of left field references to give the comedy the feeling of covering some sort of spectrum. It is also impressive how well the abstractness of Norm Macdonald and Chevy Chase can work in connection with the one-liner styles of Jack Warden and Don Rickles, not to mention the raw energy and brooding darkness that comes with the comedy of Chris Farley and Artie Lange... surprisingly, nobody feels out of place or inappropriately used, with everyone getting plenty of opportunity to shine. While the film is considered more of a cult classic than a beloved one, the film is also highly quotable.

Part of the Norm Macdonald enjoyment factor was watching him insert his oddness into pre-conditioned structures, so watching him warp the structure of a rom-com and buddy comedy to a form that fits his approach is as inspiring as it is entertaining. Balancing this against the gruff, workingman’s approach that Artie Lange is known for makes their pairing a perfect update to the Odd Couple dynamic made famous in the past. Jack Warden brings an aged and unembarrassed twist to the Lange approach as a fatherly figure, standing out as both intimidating and endearing, with the common element being their extremity. Traylor Howard holds her own in the comedically abstract whirlwind that Macdonald and company create, infusing enough charm and affection to sell interest between Macdonald and herself (which is suitable, as I doubt magnetic attraction was not the aim). Chevy Chase does what he does best, dropping non-sequiturs and dry punchlines like cinder blocks to great comedic effect. Chris Farley brings his unhinged energy to a satellite role, while Christopher McDonald leans into the same energy that made his portrayal of Shooter McGavin so infamous. Cameo appearances by Don Rickles, Rebecca Romijn, John Goodman, Adam Sandler, Gary Coleman, Ken Norton and many more comedic cohorts all bring tons of laughs to the table.

There will probably never be another comedic mind quite like that of Norm Macdonald. Perhaps we will get the abstract approach of Andy Kaufman, the inherent deductive reasoning of George Carlin, the brutal honesty of Lenny Bruce and the free will of Robin Williams in small packages, but likely never in the same formula that birthed the polarizing funniness of Macdonald. If you’ve not seen Dirty Work and you’re currently feeling the pain of loss connected to Norm Macdonald’s passing, jump on HBOMax and give it a watch while it’s still streaming.

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