This film could have been so much better. I love so many of the people in it. Yes, it has a cast that is fun to watch in their prime, but Cold Turkey is a loud, frantic mess where actors think that screaming and yelling can pass for intense emotional involvement. This can work for a number of scenes but, Norman Lear, where are some moments of quiet subtlety? You'll see better acting in the sketches on the Carol Burnett show.
The editing, sound design (the dubbed dialogue is clumsy and obvious) and musical score (until Randy Newman sings) are amateurish. I've wanted to see this film for fifty years and after this evening's TCM showing, I have my first headache in decades. If you love Newhart, Stapleton, Van Dyke, Poston, etc. and want to see this film, turn your set on and your sound off or very low.
The editing, sound design (the dubbed dialogue is clumsy and obvious) and musical score (until Randy Newman sings) are amateurish. I've wanted to see this film for fifty years and after this evening's TCM showing, I have my first headache in decades. If you love Newhart, Stapleton, Van Dyke, Poston, etc. and want to see this film, turn your set on and your sound off or very low.