In some ways, stand-up comedy is one of the toughest businesses out there to really succeed in. The late Gary Murray actually did stand-up comedy himself, performing at some amateur nights at some of the local comedy clubs, and I enjoyed seeing him perform. But when you look at the business, the odds are astronomically against anyone that tries to make it a full-time career.
“The Comedian” is the new film directed by Taylor Hackford (Parker, Ray) with a packed cast like Robert DeNiro (The Score, Heat), Leslie Mann (Rio, 17 again), Danny DeVito (Twins, Taxi), Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie), Harvey Keitel (Pulp Fiction, The Piano), and Charles Grodin (Beethoven, Midnight Run). DeNiro plays Jackie Burke, a comedian who was big years ago, but now is just trying to get work. After he meets up with Harmony (Mann), a relationship forms that is kind of rocky at best. What follows is the story of a man trying to get back into the big time and deal with the relationships with harmony and his family.
Let me start with the look of the film, whose settings and lighting fit the mood well. You know what to expect with a cast like DeNiro, DeVito, and Falco, but I will admit that DeNiro did a very good job in his role as a comic very well in a role I would not expect out of him. The chemistry between the cast was fine, especially with he and Mann, who complimented each other well.
The plot was good overall, but the film is two hours long and it does drag a lot. There was good mix of comedy and drama, but I found that “The Comedian” could have had about thirty minutes cut out of it to pace it better. It is a great story and character study, and I will recommend this film but as watching it on Netflix.