This movie was a kind of turn for Mel Brooks. It was a return to his days of old, when his stories were not raunchy spoofs but human relationship comedies. However, there is one major difference between "The 12 Chairs" and "Life Stinks"- the first one is funny, the latter is not. Very simple. Some people whether or not homelessness is a good source of comedy. Well, maybe. I don't know. It's been used to good advantage before in "Sullivan's Travels"-perhaps because the situations there are cleaned up by the censors of the day. But the bums here are the type you'd expect to meet in a Charlie Chaplin picture. At the same time, there are scenes where it seems depressing. I felt depressed watching this movie indeed. The scene where the sleazy business man bribed the lawyers to convince Brooks that all his hard work was for naught is merciless. Overall, Brooks seemed to want to attempt another human values comedy, but like before, failed miserably at the box office and with the public. His films seem to be getting worse and worse, though they definitely follow a "good-bad-good-bad" pattern.
Review of Life Stinks
