You are here:

Good-bye Cruel World

Name: Good-bye Cruel World
Director: David Irving
Released: 1982
Duration: 100 min

Representation Score

4.9/10

Fair

1982

Director

David Irving

Runtime

100 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Good-bye Cruel World is a meta-cinematic comedy that explores individual nihilism through the lens of a depressed newscaster. The film's structure, which interrupts a suicide plot with disconnected sketches, suggests a preoccupation with the breakdown of social cohesion. While the film offers a potential critique of Western institutions and the stability of the family unit, it lacks demographic breadth. The narrative prioritizes existential themes over diverse representation. Ultimately, the work functions as a study of psychological fragmentation rather than a diverse social tapestry, leaning heavily on the protagonist's internal struggle.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Good-bye Cruel World have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any characters with LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender identities. The narrative focuses solely on the protagonist's personal struggles within a traditional framework.

How does Good-bye Cruel World portray gender?

Fair

The story centers on the professional and domestic frustrations of a male newscaster. It is unclear whether the film challenges traditional gender roles or reinforces them.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Good-bye Cruel World?

Minimal

There is no indication of a diverse cast or non-Anglo-Saxon actors. The character types suggest a reliance on the demographic norms typical of the early 1980s.

How does Good-bye Cruel World represent religion and culture?

Good

The film critiques established institutions such as careers and families. Its postmodern structure uses comic sketches to challenge traditional views of social stability and morality.

Does Good-bye Cruel World include disability representation?

Fair

Clinical depression serves as the central narrative driver. This focus suggests an engagement with invisible disabilities, though it is presented through a stylized, satirical lens.

Present on Screen

Subverts institutional optimism and traditional social stability.
Engages with mental health and invisible disabilities as a central narrative driver.
Uses a postmodern structure to critique established social and professional frameworks.

Limited or Absent

Lacks diverse character representation and multi-layered breadth.
Does not include any characters with LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender narratives.
Relies on demographic norms of the era with little racial or ethnic diversity.

Official Synopsis

The story involves newscaster Rodney Pointsetter who is so depressed between his job and his family that he tries to make a film about his life, which he intends to culminate with his own suicide. It is often interrupted with irrelevant comic sketches that an emcee claims that the audience prefers to see.

How are these scores produced? →