Directed by David Leland • 1989 • United States
Starring Jeff Daniels, Melanie Mayron, Michael Tucker

“Why don’t Italians like barbecues?” When his best friend drops dead in the middle of telling this groaner, it brings about an existential fear of death for successful airline executive and family man Ray Macklin (Jeff Daniels), who soon becomes convinced that every ache and pain he experiences brings him one step closer to the grave. Scripted by Joe Eszterhas, CHECKING OUT turns that most relatable of anxieties—the horror of our own mortality—into a pleasingly low-key black comedy. Bonus: a David Byrne cameo.