Remember that sad, squirmy scene towards the end of “Raging Bull,” when Jake LaMotta was doing crummy standup in some dive? And the heckler was getting more laughs than he was?
“The Comedian” is roughly two hours of that.
Except – even more excruciating – this time Robert De Niro’s character thinks he’s great. And we’re supposed to, too – even though he’s not only a hack, but he’s also a jerk.
Some joke.
A sexist, second-class heel, this comic isn’t amusing, he’s appalling. And although everyone – from his long-suffering agent, Edie Falco, to his soft-touch brother, Danny DeVito – keeps rooting for him, why should we? Why should anyone?
The movie – written by longtime De Niro pal Art Linson, and directed by the dependably forgettable Taylor Hackford – stars the Oscar-winner as Jack Burke, a one-time sitcom star now closing in on 70 and reduced to playing crummy gigs in the burbs.
Gigs he quickly turns into disasters by insulting his agent, the MC, the patrons and everybody else in range of his microphone.
Burke has anger-management issues, it seems – no kidding – which gets him an arrest and community service at a soup kitchen. Where he ends up falling for the much younger, and much nicer Leslie Mann – who then ends up falling for him.
Because, really, what attractive, charming single woman could resist a man 30 years her senior? Who has three ex-wives, a dangerously bad temper and a foul mouth? Whose biggest recent hit is a song about bowel movements called “Making Poopee”?
There’s a movie to be made about a horrible entertainer whose awful, grimacing comedy can’t hide the tragedy he’s made of his own life. In fact it was made. It was called “The Entertainer,” and it starred Laurence Olivier, and it was pretty great.
This isn’t it. In fact, this isn’t even “Mr. Saturday Night,” Billy Crystal’s famous flop about an abrasive TV comedian.
Crystal actually shows up for a quick cameo here. As does about everyone, from Patti Lupone and Cloris Leachman to Harvey Keitel and Charles Grodin. There are also walk-ons by some real comedians, some of whom get smiles. (Burke’s own awful material was written by Springfield’s Jeff Ross, who was smart enough not to take an onscreen role.)
Hackford, at least, gets some nicely authentic shots of rainy, nighttime New York, all set to a jazzy soundtrack. When we can just look at scenes of the Village, and listen to Art Blakey, things don’t seem so bad. The movie almost seems bearable. For a while.
But then we go back to some basement, brick-walled comedy club. The spotlight goes on. Burke grabs the mike.
And if you’re smart, that’s when you’ll grab your coat.
Ratings note: The film contains strong language, sexual situations and violence.
‘The Comedian’ (R) Sony Pictures Classics (119 min.) Directed by Taylor Hackford. With Robert DeNiro, Leslie Mann. Now playing in New York. ONE STAR
Stephen Whitty may be reached at stephenjwhitty@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwhitty. Find him on Facebook.
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