This is like a Robin Williams movie directed by Ingmar Bergman and without Robin Williams. If someone had handed the script to a couple of high school kids and told them to make a movie, this is it. Everything about it misses the mark. Things that should have been funny were stepped all over, things that should have been touching were utterly pedantic. (Example: the fellow feeling guilty and saying he could have chosen someone else. It is said like he'd found a spare sock in the dryer.) Some things were no even attempted (Example: no reason is given as to why he changed his mind about the dentist. Instead, he just holds his hand to his cheek and drives off.) The actor who plays the patsy has absolutely no comedic talents. He just stands, walks, sits wherever the director says.
Honestly this is the worst comedy I have ever seen and over the decades I've seen thousands of films to compare this with.
It is lifeless, dull, pedantic, mechanical, and utterly devoid of any inspiration whatsoever. There is not one facet of this film that does not suffer from a pronounced lack of skill, talent, and intelligence.
If you want to see this film done right, see then Hanks remake. As for the original, I have no idea how this limp noodle ever saw the light of day.