The King of Comedy

Starring: Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (uncredited)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Drama
1982

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A delusional up-and-coming comic (Robert De Niro) decides to kidnap his idol (Jerry Lewis) to get an opportunity on his show.

Review:

Tim: The King of Comedy is a film that bombed at the box office when initially released. It was liked by critics, but audiences stayed away. It's a film whose reputation has grown over time, and some people even call it one of director Martin Scorsese's best films. I disagree with all that and I tend to believe audiences at the time got it right. This isn't a great movie, it's not even a very good one. Sure, in Scorsese's hands, there's going to be some worthwhile things to unpack. However, as a whole, this movie leaves a lot to be desired.

I like black comedies as much as the next person. I can even enjoy movies about deeply flawed people if they're at least a bit sympathetic. That didn't happen here, in my opinion. Robert De Niro's performance as Rupert Pupkin is astonishing for how un-De Niro like it is. It's a painful performance to watch. Pupkin is a truly pathetic character. It's uncomfortable to watch because of how realistic it is- I've known multiple people exactly like this. They have zero self awareness, no social awareness, and tell themselves a series of lies, then believe their own lies. They revel in their own ignorance. They've never made a mistake- it's always someone else's fault. Bringing to life such an awful human being was certainly an accomplishment and the movie deserves credit for it. However, having Pupkin as our protagonist gets tiresome. His complete unwillingness to work for what he wants is a serious issue in this country. So is his celebrity worship. So much of Pupkin's character was prescient of our contemporary society. It's not much fun to watch that. I suppose a lot of your opinion of this movie is based on this- if you applaud the film for holding up a mirror to America's worst tendencies, you might be a fan of this movie. If (like me), you feel the movie amplified the dark underside by focusing too much on the ugly and doesn't deliver a big enough payoff for that discomfort, you probably won't like it. Audiences in 1982 obviously weren't interested in seeing this.

I do give the film a lot of credit for telling a story in 1982 that feels like it could take place in 2019 (minus the rampant technology we have). The idea of losers worshiping celebrities has done a lot of damage in this country. The laziness, the unwillingness to work for fame is also pervasive throughout the United States. Everyone wants to be famous, no one wants to have any kinds of skills or attributes for which they SHOULD be famous. Thanks, Kardashians. This movie predicted all that and it's eerie to watch.

As I mentioned, De Niro is fantastic playing a character impossible to like. It showed off his range as an actor. I have no complaints about his performance, I just hated his character. Jerry Lewis was surprisingly excellent here. He was gruff, world weary and a lot of fun to watch. Sandra Bernhard did some interesting things as well. The cast was definitely a plus.

Another aspect of the film is the blurring lines between fantasy and reality. That's critical to understanding this film, especially the ambiguous ending. I probably was feeling very cynical, so I tend to accept the ending as "real", but it's a fascinating debate. The movie gives you a lot to think about. That's definitely the positive of this film.

The King of Comedy is interesting because after seeing it, there's a lot to consider, a lot of potential debate about the movie. It deserves credit for creating that. However, the movie was just so painful to watch. I didn't have any fun with it. It was thought provoking, but after the fact. While viewing it, I just wanted the film to be over. This is where a lot of my criticism comes from. I truly believe Martin Scorsese could have directed a movie that delivered the same message, highlighted the same issues, delivered the same black comedy, but was just a bit more enjoyable to watch. It didn't need to be this painful, this unsatisfying. For that reason (along with a few others), I think this film is definitely one of Scorsese's lesser efforts.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



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