Madhouse

This is two in a row for John Larroquette, the very funny co-star of TV's "Night Court." Last year he gave us "Second Sight" and now it's "Madhouse." Both stinkers.

Kirstie Alley at least had "Look Who's Talking" last year, a major hit for the star of TV's "Cheers." But "Madhouse" puts her back in the territory she trod with last year's "Loverboy," which is conspicuously absent from her biography in the "Madhouse" press kit.

Why is "Madhouse" so bad? Mainly for the simplest of reasons — it's not funny.

In a way, this is "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" without the holiday. The couple here — stockbroker Larroquette and TV newswoman Alley — are childless, but similarities with the Chevy Chase picture abound: Their nice home is overrun by unwanted relatives, havoc is everywhere — they even kill a cat . . . several times.

This is a one-joke sitcom movie, and what might be funny for 23 minutes is often very hard to stretch out to feature length. To compensate for its weaknesses we get jokes here and there that they still can't do on television — an R-rated profanity mowed into the lawn, a cat's projectile vomiting in the car, etc.

Veteran TV executive Tom Ropelewski makes his debut here as writer-director, but too often the situations he presents seem desperate — especially when he has a nephew becoming a drug dealer by mail. Can we really laugh at drugs anymore — or the plight of a boy who's become hooked on them?

Both Larroquette and Alley are very talented performers, and they've proven their hands at comedy in the past, but "Madhouse" is beneath them. It belongs on a double-bill with "Second Sight" for a Larroquette turkey film festival.

Here's hoping they make a better choice next time.

("Saturday Night Live" fans may be interested to know Dennis Miller, who does the TV show's weekly news reports, has a supporting role as Larroquette's best friend. But he hasn't much to do.)

"Madhouse" is rated PG-13 for violence, sex, profanity and drugs.