Tag: Comedian

CALL ME LUCKY – The Review

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“Barry Crimmins is pissed.” That one, simple line does sum up the film rather well, but it doesn’t truly do justice to the new documentary from Bobcat Goldthwait. CALL ME LUCKY is the story behind the story of Barry Crimmins, a comedian’s comedian that heavily influenced the Boston comedy scene in the 80s and beyond, but may not be widely known today by the general public. This film is your chance to change that unfortunate hole in your intellectual experience.

Thinking back to the glory days of 1980s comedy, we’ll recall Bobcat Goldthwait as the wild, manic and seemingly uncontrollable comedian who spoke strangely, had crazy hair and appeared in the POLICE ACADEMY movies huffing aerosol. This is not your 1980s Bobcat, having kicked his penchant for drugs and alcohol years ago, Goldthwait is now one of the most intriguing fringe filmmakers, push boundaries and testing limits with a very smart, funny and diverse repertoire of films. Goldthwait’s style of filmmaking is like walking into one cave after another, each time gently poking the sleeping bear inside just enough to see what half-dazed reaction slips from its hibernation-addled lips.

CALL ME LUCKY is, in part, a fascinating film because it explores an artist whose life encompasses what Goldthwait is doing with his films. Barry Crimmins sees the world as it is, honestly and with the disgust it deserves, but does so in a thoughtful, engaging way that says “this is what’s wrong and it makes me sick, but I understand and I want you to be aware.” Brimmins is highly intelligent and hilarious, so his ability to make us laugh while making us think is nothing short of genius and I would dare venture to say he succeeded where Lenny Bruce may have ultimately failed in comparison.

Goldthwait has so meticulously constructed this documentary that, as a viewer, it does not become apparent until well past the halfway mark that in reality, CALL ME LUCKY is as much a mystery as it is a non-fiction film. The drama comes in the form of a secret buried deep in Crimmins’ past and Goldthwait is marvelous at slowly revealing this secret in a way that parallel’s Crimmins’ own revelation of the truth. We learn a great deal about Crimmins, his comedy and his political activism through that comedy and outside of the stage. We get to know Barry Crimmins as we was in the 80s and who he is now, how he’s changed and how he is very much the same.

CALL ME LUCKY is a character study of one man who stands for many. He may not say things in the nicest ways, but what he says has power and purpose. Goldthwait interviews a number of comedians of varying styles and of varying perspectives on the world, some of which are in alignment with Crimmins’ and others are quite opposed, but the one common denominator is that Crimmins’ respects them all and they intern respect him. That is a rare trait that deserves the spotlight shown in this film. Interviews portrayed in this film include Steven Wright, Patton Oswalt, Margaret Cho, and many others comedians, but one of the most compelling interviews is the one which Goldthwait slowly coaxed with care from Crimmins’ sister as he attempts to poke the sleeping bear of this story. This slowly burning, uneasy advance towards the truth gives the film an edge of mystery and an emotional uncertainty that adds to the film’s appeal. Perhaps this may be seen as a touch too tabloid in how it unfolds, but its done with respect and the results are raw, honest emotion captured on film and heightens the viewer’s connection with the story.

Ultimately, what Goldthwait has done is provided a much deserved and much needed portrait of a personality at endanger of being forgotten. Crimmins’ now resides in a remote section of woods away from society, but as is apparent in the film, still keeps up with domestic and global politics and events and is as willing to express his thoughts as ever, just not on stage as a comedian garnering laughter in the process. CALL ME LUCKY may very well be one of the most important documentaries you will see in 2015 and is certainly one of the best this year, so do yourself a favor and seek it out.

CALL ME LUCKY opens in theaters on August 7th, 2015.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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DYING TO DO LETTERMAN – SLIFF Review

Growing up we’re always told that it’s important to set goals, to follow your dreams. But what if you were given a time limit to achieve these (shorter than your expected life span). This is the dramatic theme in the new documentary DYING TO DO LETTERMAN. The film follows the journey of a likable professional stand-up comedian in his thirties by the name of Steve Mazan. Growing up his comedy hero was David Letterman, so his goal was to do his act on Dave’s show. Then the fates threw him a curve. His doctor told him that he had cancerous tumors on his liver. Inoperable. Worst case scenario- he had maybe  five, six years. Instead of plopping on the coach and bemoaning his fate, Mazan focused in on his Letterman Show dream with a vengeance. After asking his comedy club audiences to email the show, he gets an official letter from NYC. One of the Letterman producers tells him that it’s not gonna’ happen-they’re not in the business of granting wishes. This news just makes Mazn more determined. He doesn’t want to get on the show because he’s sick. He wants to earn it by being funny. Trouble is that his wait time could be very brief.

What could’ve been a grim story becomes a tale of hope and laughter. His girlfriend of only a few months becomes a great source of strength as she decides to stay with him and tries to  follow her dreams also. We get a look at how comedians work up their act and massage their jokes to perfection. Mazan gets a lot of help from a couple of comic pals and gets some advice from several Letterman vets (Jim Gaffigan, Kevin Nealon, Brian Regan, and Ray Romano, whose Letterman stint turned into a huge sitcom). He also gets  a pep talk from the late, great Robert Shimmel (perhaps his last interview before he succumbed to cancer). This film is an uplifting story that will give you a great insight into the lives of the men and women who grab a mike, deal with rowdy drunks, and follow their hearts  no matter what life throws at them.

Showtimes
Saturday, November 12th at 2:15pm – Plaza Frontenac Cinema

AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY – The Review

AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY is a documentary along the lines of RICHARD PRYOR: I AIN’T DEAD YET, #*%$#@!! or SAM KINISON: WHY DID WE LAUGH? All three films take a look at great comics, travelling back in time to try and better understand the life of the artist, what made them tick and why their brand of humor was so well received by audiences.

Bill Hicks was just a kid from Houston who, like so many teenagers, felt the need to rebel and do something different. So, instead of going to college like the rest of his family, Hicks knew at an early age he wanted to be a comedian. His career started at the tender age of 15 when he performed with popularity at a comedy club in Houston, Texas.

Before long, Bill Hicks found himself becoming a potential star, but that’s also about the time drugs and alcohol began taking over his life. AMERICAN spends a great deal of time digging into this portion of Hicks’ life. The effects, both good and bad, that the drugs and alcohol had on his personal and professional development are clearly illustrated with archival video of his performances, often in small clubs.

AMERICAN has an underlying theme of one man against the world, trying to find a way for his voice to be heard amidst the crowd of ignorant people; people he often called out on stage. Bill Hicks was more than a comedian; he was also a messenger to the masses, saying “Wake up!”

The documentary is fairly straight forward, lots of archival footage, interviews with friends, family and colleagues. The one stylistic element that directors Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas incorporated was a sort of digital cut-out form of flash animation to illustrate certain segues in Hicks’ life. This is a nice, non-intrusive touch that breaks the film up just enough to keep the pace comfortable.

Much like his routine, this documentary will challenge some viewers, asking you not to be offended and, if you are, then you probably needed to be offended. Bill Hicks was adamant, obsessed even, with that state of “freedom” in our country and how we’re losing that freedom to corporations. His act routinely focused on this theme, as well as the hypocrisies and shortcomings of our society.

AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY is a fascinating look into the life of an American comedian whose was never fully embraced by America. The film is both a comedy and a tragedy, as Bill Hicks’ life ended as in a way and at a time that was both cruel and ironic. Despite his early departure, the most fascinating thing about Bill Hicks is how he chose to go out, which says so much.