[2] Spade portrays a child actor who fell into obscurity as an adult and who attempts to revive his career by getting a part in Rob Reiner's next film.
Dickie Roberts is a very young actor who shot to fame on a 1970s television sitcom called The Glimmer Gang with his spoonerism catchphrase "This is Nucking Futs!".
Unable to find another acting gig due to his eccentric habits, a now older Dickie has been reduced to parking cars at a Morton's restaurant and appearing on Celebrity Boxing, where he suffers a humiliating first-round defeat to Emmanuel Lewis.
After talking to his old friend Leif Garrett, Dickie is absolutely convinced a new Rob Reiner movie in the works titled Mr. Blake's Backyard will be his comeback.
While on duty at Morton's, he joyrides in a customer's vehicle and drops into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting where he pesters Tom Arnold to connect him with Reiner.
After he is kicked out as he's not an alcoholic, Dickie fakes being drunk and mistakenly wanders into a Lamaze class Brendan Fraser is taking with his wife.
Fred Wolf and David Spade originally wrote a skit in the 1990s for Saturday Night Live about a child star rampage, spoofing The Silence of the Lambs, for when Macaulay Culkin was hosting, but it was cut.
Roger Ebert gave the movie two-out-of-four stars, noting "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star has a premise that would be catnip for Steve Martin or Jim Carrey, but David Spade (who, to be fair, came up with the premise) casts a pall of smarmy sincerity over the material", but added Lovitz was "pitch perfect" and the cameo appearances were enjoyable.
[9] Joe Leydon of Variety wrote: "Offers a largely satisfying mix of broad slapstick, seriocomic sentimentality and mostly amusing satirical thrusts at easy targets.
"[10] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter gave it a mixed review: "Generally succeeds -- in hit-and-miss fashion -- at bridging the gap between unlikable jerk and misunderstood good guy, though it's still something of a leap to leading-man territory.
"[11] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a positive review: "This sleek and sunny comedy is an all-too-rare example of smart and inventive Hollywood filmmaking.