Featured Audience Ratings

• Melvin W

  
  After watching The Comedy, I'm sort of perplexed at the idea that I liked the movie. To be honest, I couldn't give you a real reason why either. As a character study, it works to a degree, but it is sort of aimless. As far as plot, none. The whole production is done in the… More
  After watching The Comedy, I'm sort of perplexed at the idea that I liked the movie. To be honest, I couldn't give you a real reason why either. As a character study, it works to a degree, but it is sort of aimless. As far as plot, none. The whole production is done in the quietest and most depressing manner possible. I'd even go as far as to classify it as a dull movie. Yet, I still liked it.  A 35 year old hipster, who is on the verge of inheriting his dying father's estate spends his days on his boat or galavanting through downtown acting like he works at places he doesn't. His nights are mostly spent with his equally depressing and boring hipster friends who share in weird conversations with each other and drink. That's the basis of the story to the film, and most of the time a lot less than that is going on.  The Comedy is offbeat and weird to be sure, but that is a big reason why I like it, I think. I love movies that desire to be something completely different and don't care how it's going to play to a large audience. This is completely different and it will never appeal to a large crowd, but there is an audience for it.  By the way, The Comedy isn't really a comedy. You'd be hard pressed to throw this into any genre other than the broad Independent film genre. As far as a recommendation goes for this film; I would never give anyone the idea that they would certainly enjoy it. Odds are most won't be able to sit through it and those that do will wonder why they did. For those out there like me though that have a taste for these type of movies, it's worth a look.

• Reid V

  
  While I may regret saying this at some future point in my life, I saw a lot of myself in Swanson, the protagonist of this film who, day by day, is trudging through a malaise. Not so much the naked debauchery, but definitely the desire to withdraw oneself from feeling. Many people see… More
  While I may regret saying this at some future point in my life, I saw a lot of myself in Swanson, the protagonist of this film who, day by day, is trudging through a malaise. Not so much the naked debauchery, but definitely the desire to withdraw oneself from feeling. Many people see this film as a critique of hipster culture. Exposing the popular fallacy of believing that it is better to be above it all. To make a life of understanding the way the game is played, but just choosing not to play. There is definitely some of that peppered in this film, but what I really latched on to was the character study; one of a man who is obviously capable of empathy and understanding, but seldom exercises either mental process. At first it appears he feels nothing. Sitting beside the bed, concerned little with the cancer that is languidly eating away bit by bit at the man who he calls father, he probes the doctor about prolapsed anuses. Watching his sister-in-law frantically pace before his eyes, he assumes the role of a southern plantation owner, cracking wise about the good crop of slaves he now has in his possession. Yet, aided by a surprisingly subtle but strong performance by absurdist comedian Tim Heidecker, one can see that he isn't incapable of feeling. He simply prefers disaffection. After all, the world can some easily overwhelm you with emotion, so I understand the desire to want to control the sentiment of the room by creating one yourself. There are a lot of parallels to the television show Louie. It has the capacity to make you laugh at the absurdity of it all one second, while leaving you speechless with grief the next. It is a recipe that doesn't sit well with many. But for those who were looking for this particular dish, even if as a whole it isn't perfect, the ingredients are a pleasure to take in.

• Chris M

  
  Didn't know I would like this movie as much as I did. It shows something you don't usually see in movies. The main character pushes as many boundaries as he can. Despite the title, it's not a comedy. Though, I did laugh a couple times. It's a dark movie with a true… More
  Didn't know I would like this movie as much as I did. It shows something you don't usually see in movies. The main character pushes as many boundaries as he can. Despite the title, it's not a comedy. Though, I did laugh a couple times. It's a dark movie with a true meaning. Overall- It's a love it or hate it movie, and I loved it.

• Markus R

  
  Suffice to say, "The Comedy" is not a comedy (even though it does contain laughs) nor is it necessarily about comedians. Spearheaded by a shockingly inspired performance from Tim Heidecker, what Rick Alverson's quietly brilliant film is, is in fact about pointlessness,… More
  Suffice to say, "The Comedy" is not a comedy (even though it does contain laughs) nor is it necessarily about comedians. Spearheaded by a shockingly inspired performance from Tim Heidecker, what Rick Alverson's quietly brilliant film is, is in fact about pointlessness, indifference and mocking sincerity. Sounds riveting right? Well, it is...in a very experimental way. "The Comedy" is deep and poignant and fascinatingly layered with subtle jabs at society, as well as those who have so much in life, that they have become bored with everyday existence. Opening with a sequence involving male nudity that is so awkward it may cause some viewers to say to themselves "what did I get myself into?", "The Comedy" follows a man named Swanson (Heidecker) who is seemingly unfazed by his father's impending death. Instead of a real job, he spends his days hanging out with his buddies, engrossed in inane verbal and physical (and sometimes sociopathic) games of one-upmanship. From impersonating store clerks and gardeners, to making the most inappropriate jokes during the most depressing and even life threatening moments, to degrading others in public in order to fulfill some kind of personal enjoyment, as this film progresses the activities of each of these men (including Swanson) become progressively offensive in order to maintain a sort of continuous high. And while this could be the plot to any crude Danny McBride piece of trash, it is Alverson's ultra serious tone, along with the fact that he throws these would be offensive but clownish comedic characters into a real world where people die, have disorders and are struggling to feed their families, which allows "The Comedy" to rise above the "crudeness for the sake of being crude" films of today. As much as I enjoyed "The Comedy", this is one movie that will assuredly come under heavy scrutiny from a majority (that's right, I said majority) of movie going audiences, because, for one, while there is a subtle story arc here, this film is not pushed along by heavy conflict. And secondly, many unfamiliar with Heidecker's form of comedy will undoubtedly be turned off by the amount of absurdist drama which is played out by a group, whom on the surface seem too spoiled and flippant to care about. In short, even those who loved the terribly long "Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie" or are fans of their show and have been eagerly awaiting more of the same skit driven comedy, may find "The Comedy" a bit too tonally heavy or obscure to take (and that is truly saying something). Side Note: Some have said that the Tim Hiedecker's style of comedy is a form of avant-garde comedy or apart of the anti-comedy movement. Meaning, that much of his shtick consists of making his audiences (television or otherwise) highly uncomfortable, to the point where they either laugh at his awkwardness or dismiss his actions as strange. And while Hiedecker's awkward style of comedy is featured prominently here, his performance is anything but comedic. In fact, he gives a quite emotionally dramatic performance in a movie that, if it were a straight forward comedy, would have seen Zach Galifianakis in the starring role. Thankfully, this is not the case because Hiedecker's performance is absolutely magnificent (and dare I say award worthy?) in this role that was obviously tailored specifically for him. Final Thought: I will reiterate, and I can't say this enough, how "The Comedy" is not for everybody; especially if you are expecting a comedy. To some audiences this is all going to seem as an exercise in pathetic nature and nonsensical mannerisms, but rest assured that there is something happening here on a very highly conceptual level that is not only meant to make viewers uncomfortable, and cringe and laugh at the most inappropriate things, as well as think these characters are pathetic while at the same time feel sorry for them, but is also a subtly laced work of a very skilled writer, whose entire point seems to be an analysis/criticism of the reaction of "normal people" to those who wish to push the limits of comedy. Not since Lars von Trier's "The Idiots" have I witnessed a movie that was this skillfully successful in demonstrating the complex struggles of a generation built on a doctrine of nihilistic irreverence. In short, if you chose to see "The Comedy", you will either absolutely love it or absolutely hate it. Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus

• Sam B

  
  An accurate depiction of a very specific type of person, but its not exactly a probing character study. Which would be fine, if it didn't set itself up to be one. As it is, its a pretty poorly-paced observational piece.

• Kevin C

  
  It could have been a striking portrait of deranged, over-privileged Williamsburg inhabitants, but instead opts for a not even quarter-baked character study of the most dull hipster of the bunch.

• The Movie W

  
  Waiting for his father to die so he can receive his fortune, a privileged Brooklyn man drifts through life, getting his kicks from playing immature pranks on strangers. Living on a houseboat, Heidecker is the privileged son of a wealthy father, now on his death bed. Due to this, he… More
  Waiting for his father to die so he can receive his fortune, a privileged Brooklyn man drifts through life, getting his kicks from playing immature pranks on strangers. Living on a houseboat, Heidecker is the privileged son of a wealthy father, now on his death bed. Due to this, he has neither the need nor the incentive to work for a living. To fill time, he spends his days and nights hanging out with his immature friends, often making others feel uncomfortable in social situations by behaving like imbeciles. Fueled by a disdain for the lower classes, Heidecker pushes people to their limits of tolerance, all for his puerile entertainment. Though he doesn't need the money, he takes a job as a dish-washer, seemingly for the purpose of mocking his fellow workers. Undoubtedly the worst thing to happen to American popular culture over the last decade is the "man-child" phenomenon. It began with the reprehensible TV show 'Jackass' and quickly bled into cinema with the likes of Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler making a more than comfortable living off audiences inexplicable interest in obnoxious behavior. Why anyone would enjoy watching middle-aged privileged white guys behaving like morons is beyond me but a large section of the public eats this stuff up. 'The Comedy' details just how abhorrent this mentality really is by focusing on a character who seems to have stepped out of a Sandler movie and onto the streets of New York. You won't have seen many characters as despicable as Heidecker but, equally, you won't be able to take your eyes off him, a walking car crash of a man. We've all had the misfortune of encountering characters like this: the loudest guy at the party; the guy who sits beside you on the bus, insisting on talking to you just to mess with your day; that asshole holding up the line at the grocery store by arguing over some trivial matter with the cashier. They're usually middle-class white males whose only way to feel important is to use their untouchable privileged positions to ruin someone else's day. Here, Heidecker pulls horrid stunts like offering a taxi driver a sum of money too large to resist, all so he can drive the cab while drunk. Within a few seconds, the driver realizes he's made a huge mistake by allowing himself to be taken advantage of. It's a scene you could imagine might have audiences laughing their asses off if it appeared in a sequel to 'The Hangover', but here it plays as an uncomfortable scene of guerilla class warfare. 'The Comedy' plays like a riff on 'Falling Down' but, rather than baseball bats and bazookas, self-entitlement and solipsism are the weapons of choice for its loathsome protagonist.

• Alec B

  
  Its a little too repetitive, but it gets points for demonstrating a kind of "Sociopathic Irony" that the main character suffers from disturbingly well.

Read all 8 featured audience ratings