Dirty Work

Yet another alumnus from Saturday Night Live bites the big one. Norm MacDonald, the dry and deadpan "Weekend Update" anchor fired by NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer, stars in this mercifully brief slacker comedy as Mitch, the type of 14-jobs-in-three-months lovable loser Bill Murray portrayed infinitely better in Stripes. But Mitch doesn't join the army. Instead, he opens a revenge for hire business to help his best friend raise $50,000 for his father's operation. Viewers will see pitiful cameos by Chevy Chase, Gary Coleman and the late Chris Farley, and SNL fans may appreciate MacDonald reprising his signature "note to self" bit. But, ultimately, MacDonald's a master only of the anti-joke, which substitutes a bluntly literal statement for a punchline (and he seems to find the words "prostitute" and "whore" exceptionally funny). Note to self: avoid like the plague future movies directed by Bob Saget. Not recommended. (K. Lee Benson)