Comedian (2002)
Theatrical Release: October 25, 2002
DVD Release: December 15, 2011
Rated R
Review by James Klein
Most everyone knows Jerry Seinfeld as the star of his own, long running sitcom from the 1990′s Seinfeld. Not everyone remembers how he started in “the biz”, as a stand up comic. Now, with his series over, Seinfeld goes back to his roots and starts to get back in the game by doing more stand up acts while coming up with more jokes to play off a live audience. There have been many films about stand up comedians such as Lenny, Punchline, and Funny People. But none of them was able to capture the insecurity and selfishness that some comedians are capable of being. Comedian almost pulls it off but seems to be afraid to go into the darker and drearier side of stand up comics. We get just a taste of it.
The documentary Comedian would have you believe that this is about Jerry Seinfeld. It is not. It is about Jerry Seinfeld’s stand up career post-Seinfeld. We see Jerry traveling to different night clubs and improv performances, testing out new bits. At one point he asks the people who run a comedy club if he could come in unannounced and do a quick bit for the audience to just test out his act. There are points where he hangs out at a bar with Chris Rock and Colin Quinn and the two discuss what they do in their act or the hardships of being a comedian. One gets the impression that it is not a stable lifestyle. And to see these stars still feel insecure in their routine is very surprising.
- Read the full story at UnRatedFilm.com
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