A Futile and Stupid Gesture

2018 "Being the King of Comedy is no joke."
6.7| 1h41m| R| en| More Info
Released: 24 January 2018 Released
Producted By: Abominable Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: https://www.netflix.com/title/80107084
Synopsis

In a life full of triumph and failure, "National Lampoon" co-founder Doug Kenney built a comedy empire, molding pop culture in the 1970s.

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Reviews

Jeanskynebu the audience applauded
LouHomey From my favorite movies..
Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
eddie_baggins All of us at some time or another have had a National Lampoon's experience.Perhaps it was a sneaky viewing of Animal House when you were too young to do so, watching the Griswold's various eventful vacations or maybe some golfing antics in the form of Caddyshack, National Lampoon's played an important part in mainstream comedy events of the late 70's and 80's and therefore has played a part in our lives at some stage or another.Looking to provide insight into how this world-wide recognised brand came to be, Wet Hot American Summer director David Wain has assembled a capable cast to front his Netflix distributed biopic A Futile and Stupid Gesture but this 90 minute feature will leave many more casually interested fans left wanting, while diehard fans will quickly begin to realise that well-renowned documentary Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead is a much more assured and insightful look at the rise and fall of main National Lampoon campaigner and co-creator Doug Kenney.Here played by cult figure Will Forte, Kenney is a complicated and hard to read figure that remains an illusively mysterious character throughout Wain's feature and a figure that's hard to fully connect with both due to the fact Kenney is a rather obnoxious person and that Forte feels out of his depth with a role that's hard work for the actor, particularly in the times Forte is tasked with bringing a college aged Kenney to life in the films early stages.Surrounded by quality actors such as a near unrecognisable Domhnall Gleeson as Kenney's partner in crime Henry Beard, Emmy Rossum as Kenney's second wife Kathryn Walker and supporting turns from the likes of Ed Helms and curiously Joel McHale as Chevy Chase, Forte never fully convinces in his lead turn while most actors struggle to make an impact as Wain's focus continually stops and starts as Futile's brief but cluttered 90 minute runtime moves forward.Adopting a rather unique approach to proceedings and trying its best to divert from the usual biopic by the numbers rulebook, Wain's film isn't afraid to break the 4th wall and even at one stage admits to all the things its skipped over or changed for dramatic license but at the end of the day Wain's film still feels rather generic and most disappointingly like a National Lampoon's greatest hits parade, showcasing all the things we expected to see (e.g. Animal House's inception, Chevy Chase doing far too many illegal drugs) without ever really surprising viewers in any meaningful way.Final Say - The story of National Lampoon and Kenney is a story worth telling and a no doubt intriguing one for fans of the comedic brand but A Futile and Stupid Gesture feels like a missed opportunity to fully encapsulate the brands inception and the beginning of a whole new era of comedy.2 studio lot fisticuffs out of 5
Jithin K Mohan Going into this I had no idea who Doug Kenny was or about any of his films other than I have heard those in some comedy film lists. So the twist kind of work but like the rest of the film, it was kind of stupid and crazy but ok too. The impression I got from this film is that anything National Lampoon is just flukes and disasters.
Sam Panico Based on A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever, Kenney basically assembled the cast of Saturday Night Live before the show even aired. From John Hughes, Anne Beatts and P.J. O'Rourke to Tony Hendra (Spinal Tap's manager Ian Faith) and Chris Miller (who co-wrote Animal House) on the writing side to Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner (and more) on the performance side, you can see how nearly every comedy in the 1980's had the Lampoon stamp - and stink - all over it.As for the film, it's pretty much made for comedy geeks who have the hardback of Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead and have watched the documentary that ensured ad nauseam, that have read and re-read every book on SNL, that can breathlessly tell you of the relevance of 1970's comedy. Yes, I am looking at the man in the mirror.If you knew nothing about Kenney, I'm not sure you'll come out of this film loving him. In my reading of him, I've always seen him as this mysterious force that would write and write and write and then disappear, only to come back and prove himself all over again until he fell into a whirlwind of drugs and depression and faded away from this reality. I've always found myself more drawn to the pure menace and in your face nature of Michael O'Donoghue, who is portrayed in the film by The State's Thomas Lennon. His intro scene, where he goes into a manic rant that sounds life and death and is really only directed to a record club operator is perfect. So if you're looking for a memoir of his greatest hits, this film is for you (indeed, the movie ending food fight has Beatts and O'Donoghue locked in a romantic embrace, making him near heroic).This is almost a game to spot the comedian and who they are playing, kind of like The Greatest Story Ever Told, but for comedy. That's Will Forte and Martin Mull as Kenney (I hoped against hope that I had been Mandala Effected into a world where Kenney survived, but no dice). Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux!) as Henry Beard. Pittsburgh's own Jon Daly as Bill Murray. John Gemberling (Bevers from Broad City) as Belushi. Ed Helms as a picture perfect Tom Snyder. Natasha Lyonne as Anne Beatts. Even Joel McHale, portraying his old Community castmate Chevy Chase, who comes off as much an enabler as a friend. Tony Hendra is the only person who really gets a hatchet job here, coming off as a joke and girlfriend thief (and his daughter's allegations of sexual abuse make him a troubling figure to enjoy these days). Paul Scheer even shows up as Paul Schaffer! Seriously, this film is just about a laundry list.I really liked some of David Wain (The State, Wet Hot American Summer) transitions in the film, such as how he uses the Lampoon Foto Funny style to explain Kenney's divorce and then how he decides to escape to Los Angeles with his girlfriend, Kathryn Walker. There's also plenty of explanation for why no one really looks like the people they're playing, an attempted explanation for the Lampoon's lack of minorities and a laundry list of the way the movie plays fast and loose with what really happened ("some other things we changed from real life for pacing, dramatic impact, or just cause we felt like it.").Obviously, this is a movie basically made for me to enjoy. And I did, but it's difficult for me to recommend it to anyone who doesn't really care about where comedy comes from.
markj-02556 A Futile and Stupid Gesture is about the creation of the National Lampoon brand and its creator Doug Kenney. This film follows Doug through his extraordinary heights and lows of his life in the comedy business. This film is directed by David Wain (Role Models), Wrote by Michael Colton and John Aboud (Penguins of Madagascar). It stars Will Forte (Nebraska) as Doug Kenney, Domhnall Gleeson (Ex Machina) and Martin Mull (Clue) as The Narrator. Along with a great line up of stellar comedians. What I liked about this film was it's direction and in my opinion pitch perfect interpretations of famous actors and directors. I really enjoyed Joel McHale as Chevy Chase and Will Forte as Doug Kenney. Most of the jokes are funny as well especially the ones featuring famous scenes in films and how they came about. My favorite scene would have to be the ending though which for someone who didn't know the story actually had me tearing up a bit. But some of the jokes do not hit for me, along with a dive in quality in the middle of the film which makes it last forever. means that it certainly isn't comic genius.However I do like this film and think you should watch it. Its a bit rough around the edges but it means well and for fans of National Lampoon films, this fil is defiantly for you.7/10