The Onion Movie is a satirical comedy film that presents a series of over-the-top news stories, sketches, and advertisements, all parodying contemporary American media and culture. The film's framing device is the fictional news program Newsline with Norm Archer, played by Len Cariou, who reports on absurd and outrageous stories, such as a teenage girl who becomes pregnant with Jesus, a company that sells bullets with corporate logos, and a government plan to provide tax breaks for citizens who murder the homeless.
In addition to the mock news segments, the film includes several fictional commercials and movie trailers, spoofing Hollywood blockbusters, such as a disaster movie called Cock Puncher, a Tom Cruise-style action hero named Dino-Boy, and a romantic comedy that pairs an overweight woman with a handsome male model.
The Onion Movie was produced by The Onion, a popular American satirical newspaper and website. The film was directed by Tom Kuntz and Mike Maguire and written by several Onion staff writers, including Robert D. Siegel, Todd Hanson, and Carol Kolb. It was released in 2008, several years after its initial production, and received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its sharp wit and irreverent humor, while others found it too scattershot and unfocused.
