Funny Pages

I've seen both American Splendor and Crumb and found them well done but decidedly odd - I'm not sure a film that recalls them both is going to be all that enjoyable, but let's see shall we. Hmmm. The film basically follows Robert (Daniel Zolghadri) a keen graphic artist who drops out of school following the death of his art-teacher mentor and attempts to find his way in the world, maybe with a view to working in comics - but without really having a plan as to how to do so. He doesn't half meet some strange characters in the process though. And most of them are not exactly likeable oddballs and in that way do they feel characters out of American Splendor or Crumb. It also has a very strange film style with a lot of big heads in close-up which I also guess is aimed at being reminiscent of comics, but it just feels odd. I'd have to say that as well as Robert not really having a plan for his future, whilst watching this film I wasn't convinced the director did either - it meanders from bizarre episode to bizarre episode including a naked man standing on a desk, throwing a rubber horse at a pharmacist, someone getting stabbed in the head with a pen and a car driving through a garage door (and don't worry, these don't spoil anything for you). And after all this it ends in a bizarre, understated manner where it looks like Robert is just considering all that's happened to him - I suspect the impression we're supposed to get is that this is all fuel for the artistic fire, but I'd have to say I'm not 100% certain. As far as I can tell Daniel does a good job as Robert - the whole performance is a bit ramshackle but you can't help but think that's the general idea. Matthew Maher also gets a namecheck in his role as Wallace who is, it's fair to say, an utter headcase - you get the impression the rest of the cast do what they're told to, but it's all very odd. I'm also going to call out Ron Rifkin in a very tiny role - I knew I knew him from somewhere but had to check Wikipedia to remind myself he was Arvin Sloane in Alias (which I really enjoyed) for 103 episodes and he also did 95 episodes of Brothers And Sisters. The director Owen Kline (Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates's son) spent six years writing, directing and editing the film - and Daniel certainly ages a few years throughout the film. The character Robert first appeared in a comic he wrote and I guess he just decided to somewhat extend matters. It very much feels like a labour of love whilst he ploughs his own furrow and for that I have to admire him. In keeping with the story and acting, the film style is very odd too - the picture quality makes it look very like it was found footage from the late 60s or early 70s. However, I do have to argue with The Guardian's description of this being a "deliciously dark coming-of-age comedy" - it is dark, but it certainly ain't delicious. And what it definitely isn't is a comedy - there's lots of "funny" behaviour but I don't actually remember laughing at any of it. Several of the scenarios have potential for humour, but it's all played so, so bizarrely it's almost as though the director was being contrarily obtuse - "go on, laugh at this then". I do think that if you're a fan of Harvey Pekar or Robert Crumb's style then you're more likely to enjoy this than anyone else - if you're not sure if you're a fan of them then I suspect you can probably take it as read that you won't. I admire the effort that had gone into making this, but I just found the whole thing too bizarre for my (often quite bizarre, but obviously not bizarre enough) tastes. If that massive recommendation doesn't put you off, then it's available to stream on Curzon (you've got that, right?) or to rent on all the other more normal channels.

A few amusing parts but a pretty weak movie over all. It ends and can't help but think "is that it?"

Off-kilter from start to bottom, enjoyable and very nerdy.

I love a lot of A24 movies and indie movies about or based on comic books (Ghost World, Art School Confidential, Wilson…) but this was a letdown. It has the quirks and weirdness of other indie comic movies but lacks charm. I definitely laughed out loud at times but in part because of the absurdity and grotesqueness. The acting and character studies are what kept it interesting for me but I wouldn't really recommend unless you're a bit comic book fan and enjoy dark humor and cynicism.

Depressingly cynical, gross , and mean-spirited. The movie equivalent of the new modern art trend where the goal is to make everything as disturbing as possible in order to illicit a response from the viewer. My disdain toward the characters is eclipsed only by that from the director himself it seems. Four hundred years from now, future civilizations will point back at this film as the definitive point where American culture, confidence , and soul began to die. The fact that anyone enjoyed this movie ( wait for them to break out the tried and true "It SUBVERTS expectations!" line -> that seems to be the current get-out-of-jail-free card for those pretentious enough to feign passion but not intelligent enough to justify it) destroyed a small piece of the hope I had for a better future for us as a people. God help us all

I appreciate low budget indie films, I love comics and I love A24. I was basically a lower middle class comic nerd my whole life. Having been fortunate enough to be raised on GHOST WORLD, CRUMB and Harmony Korine films one would think Id love this cringe bath of loser characters living in their own squalor. This mildly funny and mostly depressing film didn't hit the mark despite the few gems like Actor Daniel Z and Michael Wright. I feel sorry for the DP who had to create a cramped 1982 version of a color void photo from a family album that got covered in pizza grease. He might lose work cuz of this. I should have smoked weed and punched myself in the face before I watched it. I may have to revisit this film and rewrite this one day when I'm not so pissed off. I'm gonna go take a shower and scrub this one off.

A chaotic glimpse into the life of a tortured creative teen who has little doubt in his abilities and no boundaries. Great references and characters. Smart, short (like a comic) and funny. Some of the imagery is now burnt on my retinas forever ...

As a funny book reader, I loved the movie. The movie plays like an underground comic -- a bit like reading Robert Crumb and Harvey Pekar. The references to Tijuana bibles, Neal Adams, Image Comics, etc. It was a blast. The lead Daniel Zolghadri as Robert was great (but Robert was so, so flawed). Matt Maher as Wallace was simultaneously hilarious and terrifying. He was so scary it's hard to believe the real life actor is a functioning human. If you hate this movie, don't bother picking up underground comix. They are not your scene. Congrats to Owen for an original, mesmerizing movie. I'm a fan of both his parents. I hope his future projects can be as awesome and unexpected.

Ugh. I could barely make it through this film. It was difficult to find anything redeeming about it. It was fleetingly funny in places, but so grinding -- and so lacking in direction -- that I had a hard time finding it worthwhile. (The woman asking for Percocet in a three-minute segment of the film really was the best part of the whole thing.) Miserable kid tries to be a successful artist, surrounds himself by idiots, has no coherent plan, is let down repeatedly by anyone he idolizes, along with people he doesn't idolize, like his parents, and he ultimately fails. Movies don't have to be upbeat to be outstanding, but they should at least offer the slim possibility of redemption for some -- any -- of their characters. The only thing I admired about the film was that almost all of the characters seemed straight out of an R. Crumb strip.

I love this quirky masterpiece with it's brilliant writing and direction and it's complete submersion into dark comedy. Cast of characters kill mercilessly. My only question is what's next Owen?