THE COMEDIAN (2016)

Summary:

In "The Comedian," Robert De Niro stars as Jackie Burke, a once-beloved sitcom star now struggling to find relevance and respect as a stand-up comic. Trapped by the shadow of his iconic TV character, Jackie's attempts to reinvent himself are met with indifference by audiences and industry alike. His simmering frustration boils over during a performance, leading to an assault on a heckler that goes viral and lands him in court-ordered community service.

During his probation, Jackie unexpectedly forms a bond with Harmony Schiltz, a younger woman facing her own legal troubles. Their unlikely connection blossoms amidst his ongoing battle with aging, artistic integrity, and the relentless pursuit of a meaningful comeback. The film delves into the often-brutal world of stand-up comedy, exploring themes of legacy, reinvention, and the profound human need for connection and authentic expression, as Jackie grapples with personal demons and professional pressures in a bid to reclaim his voice.

Keywords: The Comedian, 2016, Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, Comedy, Drama, Stand-up, Aging, Reinvention.

Plot:

Jackie Burke, a veteran comedian whose career peaked with the beloved 1980s sitcom "Eddie's Home," finds himself at a crossroads. Now in his seventies, he's a relic, performing stand-up in small clubs, often to audiences who only want to hear catchphrases from his old show. His attempts to deliver new, often dark and observational material are met with lukewarm reception, fueling his deep-seated frustration and resentment. He lives with his brother, Jimmy, and sister-in-law, Florence, in their New York apartment, a situation that highlights his professional stagnation and personal isolation. The film opens with Jackie performing a particularly aggressive set, culminating in him violently assaulting a heckler with his microphone stand. This incident, captured on a smartphone, quickly goes viral, further cementing his image as a washed-up, volatile figure and leading to his arrest and a sentence of community service.

During his court-ordered community service at a soup kitchen, Jackie encounters Harmony Schiltz, a younger woman with her own troubled past and a similar charge of assault stemming from an altercation with her ex-boyfriend. Initially, their interactions are fraught with tension and mutual suspicion, but a shared sense of disillusionment and a surprising candor gradually draw them together. Harmony, dealing with the suffocating expectations of her wealthy, controlling father, Mac, finds an unexpected confidante in Jackie, who, despite his public persona, reveals a vulnerability and a genuine desire for connection. Their bond deepens as they navigate their respective legal woes and personal struggles, offering each other an unconventional form of support and understanding that neither finds in their conventional lives.

Concurrently, Jackie continues his uphill battle to revive his comedy career. His long-suffering agent, Dick Miller, tries to secure him gigs, but Jackie's refusal to pander to nostalgia and his increasingly abrasive stage presence make him a difficult client. He experiments with new material, often pushing boundaries with jokes about aging, death, and his own failures, which frequently alienate his audience. The film meticulously portrays the grind of the stand-up circuit, the constant pressure to be funny, and the brutal honesty required for true artistic expression. Jackie's relationship with his family also provides a backdrop of grounded reality; Jimmy and Florence, while supportive, often serve as a reminder of the stable, conventional life Jackie has always eschewed in favor of his unpredictable comedic path, leading to moments of both affection and sharp disagreement.

As Jackie and Harmony's relationship evolves, it becomes a central pillar in his journey. Harmony encourages him to shed the "Eddie's Home" persona entirely and embrace his true, often messy, self on stage. Their romance is unconventional, marked by their age difference and individual baggage, but it offers Jackie a renewed sense of purpose and connection. He starts to draw inspiration from their experiences and his own life, attempting to craft a more personal and authentic stand-up act. However, the industry's resistance to his new direction remains formidable. A pivotal opportunity arises when he's offered a spot at a prestigious comedy roast, a high-profile event that could either be his triumphant comeback or his final, humiliating curtain call. The pressure mounts as he grapples with the expectation to deliver classic, crowd-pleasing humor versus his burgeoning desire for artistic integrity.

The climax of the film unfolds at the comedy roast. Jackie is faced with a choice: revert to the safety of his old character and deliver the expected jokes, or risk everything by performing his new, raw, and deeply personal material. The audience, a mix of industry insiders and fans, anticipates the familiar. In a moment of courageous vulnerability, Jackie chooses the latter path, delivering a set that is both self-deprecating and profoundly honest, touching on his failures, his aging body, and his newfound connection with Harmony. The initial reaction is mixed, with some audience members bewildered by his departure from the norm, while others are genuinely moved by his authenticity. This performance, though not an unequivocal triumph in the traditional sense, marks a significant personal victory for Jackie, signifying his liberation from the past and his embrace of his present self.

In the aftermath, Jackie's career doesn't necessarily skyrocket, but he achieves a measure of artistic peace and personal fulfillment. His relationship with Harmony endures, a testament to their unique bond and mutual understanding. The film concludes not with a grand, Hollywood-style comeback, but with a more nuanced resolution, suggesting that true success for an artist like Jackie lies not in recapturing past glory, but in finding his authentic voice and connecting with others on a deeper level. He continues to perform, perhaps to smaller, more appreciative audiences, having found a way to reconcile his past with his present, and ultimately, to be genuinely funny on his own terms, finally free from the shadow of Eddie.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Robert De Niro as Jackie Burke
• Leslie Mann as Harmony Schiltz
• Danny DeVito as Jimmy Berkowitz
• Edie Falco as Florence Berkowitz
• Harvey Keitel as Mac Schiltz
• Patti LuPone as May Berkowitz
• Charles Grodin as Dick Miller

Crew:

• Director: Taylor Hackford
• Writers: Art Linson, Jeff Ross, Richard LaGravenese, Lewis Friedman (Story by Art Linson)
• Producers: Art Linson, Jon Kilik
• Cinematography: Oliver Wood
• Editor: Mark Warner
• Music: Terence Blanchard

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: December 2, 2016 (Limited); January 13, 2017 (Wide)
• Language: English
• Genre: Comedy, Drama
• Running Time: 120 minutes
• Accolades: None significant