THE COMEDIAN

Posted 2/16/17

THE COMEDIAN * *  (Joyce) * * ½ (Don) (Vulgar stand up comedy tale) If you like the modern stand-up comedy genre, filled with vulgarities and profanities, you’ll probably enjoy …

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THE COMEDIAN

Posted

THE COMEDIAN
* *  (Joyce)
* * ½ (Don)
(Vulgar stand up
comedy tale)

If you like the modern stand-up comedy genre, filled with vulgarities and profanities, you’ll probably enjoy “The Comedian.”
Joyce does not fit into that category and found little to laugh about in this story of a former TV comedy series star (Robert De Niro) who tries to make it as a stand-up comic.
Jackie Burke is a funny guy, but his routines often go out of control as he responds to hecklers and the constant requests that he revert to his TV character, Eddie. In fact, people keep calling him Eddie.
When he punches out a heckler in the crowd, he is given a 30-day prison sentence, which gives him a load of profane material, and then sentenced to 100 days of community service.
Jackie ends up in a soup kitchen, where he hones his act on the homeless and meets Harmony, a rebellious younger woman (Leslie Mann). His agent (Edie Falco) finds him jobs, including the hosting of a ridiculous cable reality show. He agrees to do a bit at his niece’s lesbian Jewish wedding, which ends in total disaster.
The movie jumps all over the place, from tender scenes with Harmony to shouting matches with his sister-in-law (Patti LuPone) and brother (Danny DeVito). He also has confrontations with Harmony’s father (Harvey Keitel).
One rather obnoxious scene has Jackie doing his act, filled with sexual and bathroom humor, at a senior citizens home. While he brings laughter to many of the residents, he thoroughly disgusts others. (Just like the movie audience, including Joyce). There’s a scene at a Friar’s Club roast that is particularly morbid and brings out Jackie’s true character.
The movie is loaded with a number of walk-ons, including Billy Crystal, Charles Grodin, Cloris Leachman and a slew of others.
We’re happy for the local band, The Free Downloads, which gets good screen time as the wedding band, but nothing can save this uneven crude movie. The ending is ridiculous.
Rated a big R with profanity galore and the R-rated comedy club acts.

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