HealtH (1980)

HealtH is special because it treats a sun-drenched Florida wellness convention like a full-blown political battlefield, turning the supposedly pure world of health into a hilarious mirror of American power games. Robert Altman’s loose, overlapping, ensemble style makes the resort feel alive with chatter, schemes, and oddball personalities, so the comedy comes as much from the atmosphere as from the punchlines. It’s goofy in the best way—an experimental satire that keeps finding new angles on ambition, hypocrisy, and the strange theater of public virtue. If you prefer tight plotting and broad, obvious jokes, it may feel shaggy and offbeat, but if you enjoy smart, slightly chaotic comedy that was ahead of its time, it’s a delight.

HealtH is aiming for a sharp, Altman-style political satire, using a sun-soaked resort and a health-food convention to lampoon ambition, hypocrisy, and backroom deal-making. The problem is it plays more like a noisy jumble of scenes than a steadily building comedy, so the jokes often drift past without landing and the “point” can feel oddly slippery. If you need a clear story, consistent tone, or laugh-out-loud punchlines, this will likely test your patience and feel more hectic than clever. Still, if you enjoy shaggy ensemble pieces, oddball character behavior, and the idea of watching a talented cast riff in a loose, semi-improvised vibe, you may find it mildly amusing as a curio rather than a satisfying comedy.