THE COMEDIAN: An Intriguing Tragedian

The journey to the big screen for The Comedian is a notable one, especially when you consider the range of talent involved in developing the idea behind and in front of the camera. Originally attached to Martin Scorsese to direct, the film changed hands initially when it was passed off to Mike Newell, before Taylor Hackford finally sealed the deal. Starring Robert De Niro as the aging standup comic Jackie Burke, The Comedian plays out like many other films and television series about the entertainment industry before it.

In the right hands, Jackie Burke might have been made into a poor man’s Lenny Bruce. More often than not, De Niro walks across the screen with sophomoric swagger, seething vulgarity, and understated pathos that could have made for an intriguing tragedian. Instead, Hackford takes far too many broad sided jabs at some of the more sensational aspects of standup comedy, resulting in two hours of mishandled dramatic moments. The only thing that truly works for the movie is when De Niro takes center stage as Jackie Burke to deliver a few too many original comic monologues, developed in collaboration with real life Comedy Central Roast alumnus Jeffrey Ross.

Yet, the spare moments when Jackie Burke actually holds a mic are also too distracting to be seen as anything more than a blatant ploy to regain the distracted attention of what are sure to be theaters full of disinterested viewers. The Comedian, despite its earnest sincerity and A-list performers, never really picks up any steam, before abandoning the viewer to wallow in the autumnal years of its central protagonist. There is a suggestion throughout the film that Jackie Burke has seen better days, but not much reason to care for him then or now.

The Passion of the Comic

In 2009, Judd Apatow wrote and directed Funny People. Based in part on his own experiences as a struggling standup act from some twenty-plus years prior, the movie worked as a sobering morality play on the various pitfalls that come from working as a Hollywood entertainer. Starring Adam Sandler as a floundering superstar diagnosed with an apparently terminal illness, the movie got at a lot of the narcissism that hides in plain sight among some of the most successful comedians alive.

As a veiled commentary on his own life story – and a sly takedown of some of the more self-indulgent projects undertaken on the behalf of Sandler – Apatow‘s third directorial outing saw the studio comedy filmmaker at his most raw, uncensored, and honest about the seedier aspects of making a living telling jokes.

Likewise, Scorsese made one his best films in the form of The King of Comedy in 1982. Starring De Niro in another comic role, the film bore witness to one of the most subversive social satires of the late 20th century. As Rupert Pupkin, De Niro turned in one of his most underrated performances of his entire career, as a deranged homebody-turned-kidnapper. Possessed with the idea of becoming the next big stand up comedian by way of a popular late night talk show, the delusions of grandeur at play echo those that have become far too familiar and common to 21st century society and culture.

As a successor to the former works of dramatic dialogue with the inner workings of comedy as an art form and a cultural influence, The Comedian lacks a lot of the same sting. Hackford has managed to turn in several well-meaning studio productions in the past, but with his latest offering the career filmmaker has bitten off a little more than he can chew. Lacking the wherewithal to navigate the labyrinthine and counter-cultural currents of the world of standup comedy in New York City, De Niro is left to fill in the gaps of a script predominantly overshadowed by an objectively routine romantic sub-plot.

Serving as a consultant and accredited co-writer, Jeffrey Ross offers a voice from the trenches that manages to buoy the film beyond mere appropriation of an entire industry of working talents. Whenever De Niro takes center stage at a local venue or takes part in a roast as a member of the New York Friars Club, Ross wields a welcome influence. The bursts of standup comedy that erupt throughout the film’s 120 minute run-time are a relief to entertain, as the surrounding drama struggles to stir even the most rudimentary of emotional responses.

Conclusion

For die hard fans of standup comedy, each and every feature film that attempts to distill the delicate balance of ethos, pathos, and logos specific to the art form is a potentially exciting venture. With the rise of the art form in the public and popular consciousness – thanks in no small part to the runaway success of Louis C.K. and Louie – standup comedy has begun to take a more active role in shaping the social landscape of ordinary people. The struggle to entertain others in spite of one’s own personal failures and misgivings has proven to be thematic territory well suited to the early years of the 21st century.

Unfortunately, The Comedian fails to draw much of a crowd. Jackie Burke’s personal history of being forever associated with a sitcom character and show that he never enjoyed himself but has subsequently found an undying legion of fans is a trope that never gets old when handled properly. But under Hackford‘s direction, what could have been an intensely personal portraiture of success being relative to one’s own sense of self-worth and creative fulfillment is surrendered to tawdry melodrama and a who’s who of rotating comic actors of yesteryear and today.

When Charles Gordin makes his first appearance in the film, one can begin to feel the strains of the entire production beginning to burst at the seams. Cast in a role undisguisedly meant to serve as a reminder of the world in which The Comedian so direly wants to situate itself against, legends like Grodin can only do a disservice by appearing in a film whose material is several leagues below them. The star of The Heartbreak Kid as directed by Elaine May from 1972 only serves as a reminder of the kind of comedy that Hackford wishes he could reproduce under wildly different cultural settings and with an entirely incongruous cast of working actors.

De Niro may have wanted to appear in The Comedian as a passion project, and his earnest portrayal of standup comic Jackie Burke is a joy to watch. Like any one of the actor’s better film roles, De Niro captivates the audience with each and every scene that he’s in, and provides a few sparse intimations of the kind of movie that The Comedian could be. Hackford might not truly appreciate the kind of film character that Jackie Burke is, but De Niro still manages to provide a performance that offers a glimpse into the conflicted psyche of his standup creation.

Are you a big Robert De Niro fan? Do you plan on seeing The Comedian? What’s your favorite movie about standup comedy?

The Comedian saw release in the U.S. on February 3, 2017. Find international release dates here.