Comedian (2002)

A look at the work of two stand-up comics, Jerry Seinfeld and a lesser-known newcomer, detailing the effort and frustration behind putting together a successful act and career while living a life on the road.

Director:

Christian Charles

Stars:

Jerry Seinfeld, Greg Giraldo, Chris Rock

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jerry Seinfeld	...	Comedian
Greg Giraldo	...	Comedian (as Greg Geraldo)
Sherrod Small	...	Comedian
Jim Norton	...	Comedian
Allan Havey	...	Comedian
Colin Quinn	...	Comedian
Cynthia Koury	...	Comedian
Orny Adams	...	Comedian
George Wallace	...	Comedian
Robert Klein	...	Comedian
T. Sean Shannon	...	Comedian (as T Sean Shannon)
Gary Greenberg	...	Comedian
Shawn Seymour	...	Comedian
Richard Spector	...	Comedian
Michael Britt	...	Comedian

Storyline

Fresh from the success of his sitcom, comedian Jerry Seinfeld decided to do the unimaginable: he completely retired his stand-up act, electing to start over again by developing entirely new material. "Comedian" follows Seinfeld through this process, as he rehearses in front of small comedy club audiences, meets with fellow comics and finally appears before a national audience.

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Plot Keywords:

comedian | stand up comedian | comedy club | stool | reference to bill cosby | 

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Taglines:

You'll laugh, you'll cry. And it'll be because you missed the point completely.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

July 2003 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Anatomy of a Joke

Filming Locations:

Ed Sullivan Theatre - 1697 Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$60,224 (USA) (11 October 2002)

Gross:

$2,744,253 (USA) (20 December 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bridgnorth Films, New Material

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Comedian: My parents retired to South Florida. They're gone now, but I'll tell you the truth, I have a beef with South Florida. I'll tell you, I don't know what it is. I'm sick about it, bitter. I sent two healthy 65-year old parents to South Florida. 30 years later - dead! I mean what is it, the water, the air - it's a death camp!

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Crazy Credits

After the credits end, there's a short scene in which Colin Quinn tells Seinfeld a very old joke.

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Connections

Referenced in The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Deacon Blues"
Written by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker
Published by Universal-MCA Music Publishing (ASCAP), a Division of Universal Studios, Inc.
Performed by Steely Dan
Courtesy of MCA Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

A fun look at life as a stand-up comic (***)

I was never a big fan of "Seinfeld", though that had more to do with my natural opposition to sitcoms (laugh tracks make me cringe) than with the material in the show itself. So, by extension, I didn't think I was the biggest fan of Jerry Seinfeld himself either, but after seeing "Comedian", an intense and funny documentary about what it takes to make it in that profession, I have a newfound appreciation for him, as well as stand-up comics in general.

Stand-up comedy is one of those professions that a lot of people probably think anybody could get up there and do, but this movie proves otherwise. It's rough work entertaining people, especially in a live setting and when you're up there all by your lonesome.

The movie mainly focuses on Seinfeld as he gradually makes his comeback to the stand-up scene after years of absence, slowly compiling new material and testing it out on audiences. It's a brave format for a comedy film, because it's about HOW an act is perfected, and not just the perfect act itself. That means we're allowed to see what it looks like when jokes fall dead flat, because that is all a learning experience for a comic, no matter how long they've been doing it.

Several other comics, like Colin Quinn, Chris Rock, Garry Shandling, and George Wallace make brief appearances, and in a nice scene near the end, Seinfeld has a good conversation with one of his idols, a warm and encouraging Bill Cosby.

Also a big plus is the cool, New York atmosphere and the soundtrack, which features songs by artists as diverse as Charles Mingus, Al Green and Bob Dylan.