How Did This Get Made? — Date with an Angel (LIVE in Minneapolis)

Hosts: Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas
Episode Date: February 13, 2026

Overview

The HDTGM gang returns for a Valentine’s-adjacent special, breaking down 1987’s utterly bizarre “romantic comedy” Date with an Angel—live from chilly Minneapolis. As always, comedy ensues as Paul, June, and Jason marvel at the film’s oddball blend of romance, supernatural nonsense, slapstick, and Reagan-era capitalist parody. They puzzle over character motivations, attempt to follow the movie’s logic (or lack thereof), and go deep on Phoebe Cates, "party ninjas", and the sentence “He kicked me in my heiny.” This is a celebration—and a roast—of one of the strangest films to ever combine angels, brain tumors, and violent heiresses.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Scene

• (02:48) Paul introduces the film: “We are live for the first time ever in Minnesota. ... We are here to warm your heart with a romantic comedy about a man with a brain tumor who falls in love with an angel with a broken wing.”
• Jason and Paul riff on the glut of terrible 1987 movies—this one included—and set the comedic, skeptical tone for the night.

The Experience of Watching (06:32 – 13:24)

• June describes her emotional roller coaster: “This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen. This is my favorite movie. I love this movie. How long do I have till it’s over? I hope it never ends. Like, I really was so fraught the whole time.” (06:45, June)
• Jason summarizes the chaos: “This movie is a roller coaster ride. ... At every turn I was like, is this a love story? Who are these people?” (07:13)

Sudden Plot Shifts & The Ending

• The group points out how the plot “changes on a dime” in the final two minutes, squeezing vital exposition into the last 30 seconds and then smash-cutting to credits:
  “Everything gets explained in 30 seconds, then hard cut to credits. I was like, wow. Okay, movie.” (07:35, Jason)

The “Heiny” Obsession (09:09 – 10:16)

• Extended riff on the film’s constant use of the word “heiny.”
  • “My guess is it was written longhand and somebody was handed pages … transcribing four ‘heinies’ in a row from multiple people.” (10:01, Jason)
• June expresses earnest admiration (and some confusion) for Phoebe Cates, and jokes about the script’s wild physical and tonal choices.

The “Romance” and Problematic Male Lead (11:05 – 13:52)

• The hosts compare Date with an Angel to Splash, noting critical shortcomings, especially a mute central character and a lead you just can’t root for.
  • “The movie should be about Phoebe Cates, who is being blown off by her father, who he is leaving high and dry for an angel. I’m so sorry.” (11:05, Jason)
• They discuss the odd sexual dynamics and problematic behaviors (the “dream makeout,” voyeuristic moments), with June stating:
  • “She just loves smoochies. That’s the T-shirt.” (13:00, Jason & June)
• June: “No, all his friends in this movie are murderous psychopaths.” (13:39)

Genre Mashup and Unhinged Tonal Shifts (13:54 – 23:39)

• Paul: “It’s E.T. and Splash together. They even do a phone home joke.” (13:48)
• They marvel at the randomness of the film’s structure:
  • “Heaven, engagement party, terrorists. That’s five minutes.” (21:49, Paul)
• June (re: lead’s brain tumor): “He’s dying of a brain tumor. That’s the only thing we need to know about him. We can’t know him.” (23:39)
• June: “He’s in the rain, completely dry... I don’t think Tad is a comedic actor.” (24:11; 24:33, Paul)

Comparing to Splash, Silent Lead, and Chemistry (25:53 – 27:54)

• The angel character doesn’t speak; it’s a romance with no dialogue on one side.
• Jason: “They can’t have chemistry. If her only choice is to just be constantly leaning in to give a death smoochie—that’s the shirt. Death smoochie.” (26:27)
• The group declares the male lead “set up to fail” and all agree they want Phoebe Cates and the angel to run away together.

Party Ninjas & Bizarre Bachelor Party (31:07 – 34:20)

• The “Party Ninjas” provide prime comic fodder—a crew with a pathetic bachelor party and an inexplicable plot to kidnap and exploit an angel.
• Jason: “The bachelor party seems to have been for four people.” (31:35)
• “It was too early for a bachelor party ... I was like, is the wedding in the next few days?” (32:08–32:33, June & Jason)

Logic Fails: Water Displacement, Wings, Angels (34:23 – 43:24)

• The hosts obsess over the movie's physical logic:
  • “When we go back out to that pool and see the water displacement from her 120-pound body... she has lifted out, I want to say four feet of water.” (34:48, June)
• The angel’s broken wing—solved by audience participation:
  • Audience: “Because she hit the satellite!” (35:42)
• The hosts get meta, questioning not just the plot’s internal logic but its relationship to reality, myth, and theological implications.
  • Paul: “No one’s like, check her wings. She’s just a kook. Nope. Okay, she’s an angel.” (44:19)

Non-sequiturs, Digressions, and Notable Comic Bits

• The group detours into tales of awkward restaurant and sushi chef experiences, riffing on culinary authenticity and weird food tips. (45:13–49:54)
• Paul tells a story of being mistaken for Jon Cryer and Robin Williams. (50:06–51:59)

Voice of the Angel: Behind-the-Scenes Revelations (55:54 – 59:02)

• Discovering the angel’s “otherworldly” voice was a post-production solution; an expert dubbed in a composite of “musical tracks, strange sounds, and speechlike but not too speechlike” elements.
  • “I basically replaced her voice for about 90% of the film ... and [the sound designer] came up with this composite voice for her.” (Transcript, voice actor anonymous)
• Jason jokes: “Put a beat to it, this could be Enya ... this is better than the whole movie.” (58:45)
• June: “At the end when she says she’s supposed to make music with him, I was like, with that voice?” (59:12)

The Tumor “Twist” and Fundamental Plot Flaws (62:12 – 63:16)

• Paul: “I would say the brain tumor is played very low. ... Yes, you’ve given me clues, but it's not shocking me because I’m watching a priest smoke a joint. I’m watching guns get fired. ... I’m watching a guy get bit on the ass by a dog.” (62:30)
• Jason posits: “Is it a better movie if she’s not an angel, but to him, because of his tumor, he thinks she’s an angel?” (62:52)
  • “Or dare I say it, and I know we forbid it—is it better as a Jacob's Ladder scenario?” (63:16, Paul)

Audience Q&A Highlights

Capitalism and Angels

• Audience member: “Do you think this movie is about capitalism?”
• June: “The friends’ first response to the angel is to get money. Monetize it. And Phoebe Cate’s dad, his first response is to make her the model.”
• Jason: “This is a scathing indictment of 20th-century capitalism ... everyone just sees an angel and sees dollar signs.” (67:49)

Authenticity of Angelic Encounter

• Paul: “But the other thing is ... they accepted her as an angel. She does nothing angelic. She’s got these wings.”
• Jason: “Do you think there are angel wing authenticators?” (68:30)

Physical Comedy

• Audience highlights physical gags like the dog bite:
• Jason: "I loved the dad after he’s been bit on the butt, which is like midway through the movie—on the hiney. After he’s bit on the hiney for the rest of the movie he does a lot sitting down and then jumping up and be like ‘Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh! My heiny!’” (73:41)

Reviewing the Reviews: Amazon and Old-School Siskel & Ebert (77:38 – 81:47)

• Reads scathing and adoring real-life reviews.
• Replays an old Siskel & Ebert clip on Emmanuel Béart’s performance.
• Jason: “There are a few movies that are as bad as this one.” (78:33)

Final Thoughts: Would You Recommend It?

• All three hosts—resoundingly, yes!
  • Jason: “Yes. Forever and always.”
  • June: “This was a wonderful find.”
  • Paul: “This movie was released in a theater ... there were no questions asked. This feels like whatever you want to do, make it.” (88:31 – 89:12)
• Fun trivia: Movie bankrupted its studio, but was nominated for Best Fantasy Film at the 1988 Saturn Awards—losing to The Princess Bride.

Best Quotes & Memorable Moments

“This movie is a roller coaster ride at every turn. I was like, is this a love story? Who are these people?”
—Jason Mantzoukas, 07:13

“Nobody ever kicks me in my hiney!”
—June Diane Raphael (as a character), 09:35

“He did what?”
—Paul Scheer, 09:40

“June is getting literal. Jason is getting laid. June is making shout all the monkey shots in the pain—they catch a bunch of movies while they making the... Here's a real question for you: How did this get paid?”
—Opening theme riff, 02:14–02:37

“She's up in here looking like a millennial who is eating ass.”
—Jason Mantzoukas, 10:22

“In my mind, I'm like, how is this angel gonna bring and heal he and Phoebe Cates back together? ... Nope. The angel's like, my guy—goodbye.”
—Jason, 12:18–12:25

“If the angel comes to take you away, do they—I mean, I wouldn't mind if they gave me a smooch. I wouldn't mind.”
—Jason, 15:38–15:40

“It's E.T. and Splash, like, together. They even do a phone home joke.”
—Jason, 13:48

“They have a press conference for a kidnapped woman. ... They bring out a hostage. They're like, we have a hostage."
—Jason, 70:36–70:39

“Is it a better movie if she's not an angel, but to him, because of his tumor, he thinks she's an angel?”
—Jason, 62:52

“Sexual.”
—Siskel & Ebert Review Clip, 78:14 as quoted by Jason and Paul

Timestamp Index of Highlights

• 02:48 — Introduction & setup: the film's wild premise
• 06:45 — June’s hilarious “love/hate” viewing experience
• 09:09 — The “heiny” running gag
• 11:05 — Phoebe Cates deserved better: Splash comparisons
• 13:54 — Plot twists, genre confusion, E.T. & Splash mashup
• 21:49 — Engagement party, heaven, and terrorists within five minutes
• 31:07 — The "Party Ninjas" and the sad bachelor party
• 34:23 — Physical logic failure: angel's water displacement
• 35:42 — The satellite revelation (how the angel broke her wing)
• 44:19 — No one checks if the angel is really an angel
• 55:54 — Behind the scenes: how the angel’s voice was created
• 62:12 — The brain tumor “twist”: does it explain anything?
• 67:49 — Is this a movie about capitalism?
• 70:36 — Press conference with a kidnapped woman (?!?!?)
• 73:41 — Notable use of physical comedy—dog attack on the “heiny”
• 78:14 — Siskel & Ebert vintage review: “Sexual.”
• 88:31 — The HDTGM team recommends the movie—unironically!

Summary Table: Episode Structure

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|----------------------------------------------| | 02:48 | Introduction, premise, bad movies of 1987 | | 06:45–13:52 | Cast reactions, “heiny,” Phoebe Cates focus | | 13:54–23:39 | Plot, genre confusion, tonal whiplash | | 31:07–34:20 | Party Ninjas & farcical supporting cast | | 34:23–43:24 | Physical/logic fails: pool, wings, etc. | | 55:54–59:02 | Angel’s voice: post-production solution | | 62:12–63:42 | “Is she real? Brain tumor fantasy?” | | 67:49–68:30 | Capitalism/angel as commodity | | 70:36–74:10 | Press conference & abduction absurdity | | 77:38–81:47 | Reviews, Siskel & Ebert audio | | 88:31–90:43 | Final thoughts, recommendations, trivia |

Conclusion

Date with an Angel may be a baffling trip through 1980s cinema excess, but in the hands of the HDTGM crew it’s pure comedic gold. The live Minneapolis audience is treated to riffs on “heiny,” capitalism, and the perils of falling in love with mute celestial beings. As always, the takeaway is: even the worst movies can make for an unforgettable night—especially if you go in with friends, a healthy dose of skepticism, and an appetite for the bonkers.

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