Not every line he says is hilarious, but his delivery makes even the minor moments connect in a major way.
When Winkler lacks for obvious comedy, Keaton comes through like a comedic wrecking ball destroying everything in his way.
He gets overwhelmed by the spark plug that is Blaze, but also needs to be shaken out of his typical way of living. He is a pushover, but he knows when to explode when the scene calls for it.
Winkler has a distinct way of underplaying his comedy perfectly which he has shown to magnificent effect recently on Children’s Hospital and Barry. Where this film succeeds is providing you with some grounded characters you love to explore. It does not diverge into surreality, but this is not the type of situation that just casually happens in real life. The plot of the film is certainly high concept and not subject to the normal constraints of realism we might expect. Things change when Chuck’s prostitute neighbor, Belinda (Shelley Long, Cheers ) enters the equation and a smitten Chuck agrees to go into business with her and Blaze to earn some extra money while offering a safe environment for these business women. Blaze considers himself something of an idea man, but most of these ideas could not have Chuck rolling his eyes any further back in his head. His new scenario is made even more maddening by his new co-worker, Bill “Blaze” Blazejowski (Michael Keaton), who has a bombastic personality that would make Richard Simmons seem a bit drowsy. Chuck is something of a doormat in his everyday life, be it with his self-loathing fiancee or his boss who “promotes” him by sending him to the night shift so his inept nephew can take over for Chuck. Things are much more peaceful at his new job at the New York City morgue, a job perfect for those craving isolation. This time out he skillfully brings to life Charles “Chuck” Lumley, a formerly successful, anxiety-ridden stockbroker who left that world behind due to not being able to endure the immense stress that comes with it. Winkler plays the polar opposite of his iconic role from Happy Days. With a new release from the Warner Archive, a new generation will be able to discover the unique charms of this tale. The film was a decent hit at the box office upon its release, but has seemingly only been relegated to being appreciated by the most ardent fans of comedies from this era. Perhaps more importantly, the film was critical in revealing the unique talents of newcomer Michael Keaton ( Beetlejuice, Batman ) who had only had a background part in a couple of projects prior to this. You had Ron Howard ( Apollo 13 ) making a big directorial splash after his debut filming himself in the modest comedy Grand Theft Auto, and this time he was delivering his Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler one of his strongest roles up until this point, one that would further him from the shackles of “The Fonz” and land him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy. For as many successful names are attached to the 1982 comedy Night Shift, it is strange that you do not find more discussion about it in popular culture.
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