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.

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

See a man who had everything, who did a show about nothing, try to come up with something.

---

Genres:

Documentary

---

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: See, I'm not a 100% confident about this stuff and that's what kills me. If you're not 100% behind this you can't sell it.

---

Crazy Credits

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

---

Connections

References The Appointments of Dennis Jennings (1988)

---

Soundtracks

"Smile Away"
Written by Paul McCartney
Published by Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (ASCAP)
Performed by Paul McCartney and 'Linda McCartney'
Courtesy of MPL Communications, Inc.

User Reviews

"Comedian" is a documentary about crafting a career in stand-up comedy, starring and produced by Jerry Seinfeld.

My first memory of this movie's release was seeing its trailer poster - an intrusive billboard-sized mural in Mid-town Manhattan. It pictured Jerry Seinfeld awkwardly striding across a city street in a suit, microphone and stand in tow. The poster told me 'here is a superstar, a living legend of the small screen, stripped of his entourage of writers; stripped of his supporting cast of characters, his Kramers and Costanzas; sent to live among us once again and say I bet I can make you laugh.' I remember thinking 'I bet you can't' as I descended into the subway.

Perhaps I was harsh. But watching "Comedian" I learned I pale in comparison to the comic's toughest audience: himself. "Comedian" gives us a taste of the life that exists between 20 minute sets; the intimate moments of a seasoned stand-up comic, earning his weight in laughs. The movie could work on its own as a story about the unique turns that lie in wait of one pursuing a profession in comedy. But what makes "Comedian" special is the voyeuristic quality of its backdrop. We're used to Jerry Seinfeld's Seinfeld. Here we see Jerry Seinfeld's Jerry, a cool if not sometimes meekly understated professional who still gets the jitters before taking the stage at unknown Midwestern laugh-ins. "Comedian" pulls the celebrity curtain down, serving us fizzy gin and tonics with Rocks and Romanos on the side. The movie makes you feel like you are at your home town's shadiest club and comic greats are eating peanuts just a few bar stools away. Silently we mutter 'sure Jerry is performing a set tonight, but not before I buy him a cocktail.' If the movie works, we believe that Jerry Seinfeld is a working man - and we're nervous for him. Our hero, off to slay a dragon each night he performs. We wish him luck on the road, one he navigates in a beamer.

Afterword: "Comedy" is refreshing in its suggestion that accomplished stars can be working stiffs too, if their star hangs from a comic cellar's rafter. To wit, Chris Rock recounts a cutting-edge set he caught recently at a theater in Newark, N.J. The comic was a long-time favorite of his, but he didn't recognize most of the jokes. He delivered a 2 1/2 hour, uninterrupted set, a task regarded by Seinfeld in the movie as a "physical feat." The man was killing the crowd (along with Chris) with brand new material he had never heard. His name was Bill Cosby.