Dying Laughing

After the shock of Robin Williams death the world was alerted by the complexities of being a comedian. Being a stand-up comedian is both complicated and rewarding. At times it can be self-deprecatory and lonely. This is what I gathered from "Dying Laughing". Making others laugh is a great experience to these comedians but when that stimulus isn't there it can leave a void that can only be refilled by external social gratification. It's an interesting documentary for people who enjoy stand-up, but seeing How I'm not one of those people I found it rather boring and pretentiously narcissistic.

I hadn't heard a word about this film and only stumbled into it while flipping channels...and there's Billy Connelly, sitting in a chair, cast in black & white against a plain backdrop, talking about the craft of stand-up. I was rapt from that point on.

The doc gives an inside view of the nuts, bolts, and mechanics of stand-up comedy by those who hit the stage and ply the craft. Comedians of all manner spill the beans on what it takes and what it gives; the long road, dismal motel rooms, the loneliness, the hecklers, the boos, and the glorious highs of honing a set, capturing an audience, winning them over, and reaching a pitch where everything kills.

The film fully resonates with my experience as a stand-up, and as a film, I appreciated its tonality, showcasing the comedians telling their stories in raw B/W, with B-roll of the clubs, cafés, and the road shot in color. It may be confirmation bias, but I found myself voicing "yes", "exactly", and pointing at the screen as I recognized the experiences and emotions.

While the film is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the breadth and depth of how many comedians took part, I kept waiting in anticipation to see several more; Bill Burr, Louis CK #metoo, Zach Galifanakis, Todd Barry, Paula Poundstone, Lilly Tomlin, Tig Nayarit, David Cross, etc.

9/10

Greetings again from the darkness. We all want to be funny. Making people laugh allows for an immediate connection … plus it just feels good to make someone else happy. Co-directors Lloyd Stanton and Paul Toogood show us the dark side (or at least the backside) of comedy through a series of black and white filmed interviews with dozens of stand-up comedians. In this age of political correctness, Chris Rock explains that there is only one group who says what they want to say: stand-up comedians.

It plays not so much as "how to become a comedian", but rather a therapy session for those who already are. It's loosely structured into segments that provide very specific insight and real life stories on: the first time on stage, life on the road, dealing with hecklers, the devastation of bombing, how to connect with an audience, and what it's like to be "on" or really kill it.

The list of participants is too long to list here, but includes such stalwarts as the aforementioned Mr. Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman, Jerry Lewis, Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Billy Connolly, and Dave Attell. Those at the top of their profession open up about what it takes and how they made it. Think "Take a Parent to School Day", without the societal filter or peer pressure. These folks spend most of their waking hours looking outward for material, but here they are generous enough to look inward so that we might better understand their craft.

A diverse cross-section of comedians provide examples of racism, sexism and most any other ism. There is also the admission that a need/desire for acceptance exists pretty much across the profession. The struggles and challenges make up the experience which is vital to the growth and survival of a comedian … and maybe even what strands of sanity they possess. We hear stories of writing and re-writing jokes over and over again for years, before finally hitting on the right wording and delivery. We learn Smartphones often contain pages of notes on ideas and partial jokes, and that pain on stage often leads to a better act.

Jerry Seinfeld produced a documentary in 2002 entitled Comedian, and it dealt with the rigors of honing the act in front of audiences, and when combined with this project, we are reminded that comedy is at its best when it is about SOMETHING (fertile ground these days) … and that every comedian gets knocked down – but then gets up again (tip of the cap to Chumbawamba). The film is dedicated to the late Garry Shandling (who also appears in the film) and leaves us with the thought that "the laugh is your reward as a comedian". And that's pretty sweet.

Standups talk about being standups. Dying means it bombed. Killed means it went great! Seinfeld, schumer, sandra bernhardt, and a cast of thousands.... LOVE dave attell. Gotta confess, i didn't recognize everyone... a couple i did recognize from listening to comedy channel on sirius xm. Even jerry lewis at 90, just before he died. It's a mix of things... there's what they like about going on the road.... a lot of complaining about going on the road (so don't do it!) lots of complaining. The audience. The town. The plane. The hotel. Was a little annoying to listen to that. But i guess this is a documentary, so they are probably doing their job by presenting all parts of the job. So much anger! And pain when they bomb, or have a heckler. It ends up being pretty dark. The last couple minutes, they describe what it feels like when it goes Great.... i wish they had spent more time on that. Directed by lloyd stanton and paul toogood. It's interesting, but there's a lot of darkness.

One of the best documentaries about a profession you'll ever see. I have no idea how it's rated this low as it's so enjoyable. Seen it twice now, and got better in the second viewing, because they really delve into what is life like as a comic.

Be warned. Although this movie can be funny at times, it's a pretty serious look at the life of a comedian, and all the ups and downs of getting there. Great emotional documentary at what you have to go through to be a comedian. I think the reason why it's so low, is because people came with the expectations of laughing. Though serious, it's a great watch.

The stars for of this for me were Royal Watkins, with an amazing story of bombing, Mike Epps, and Tiffany Haddish (Before she made it big. I'm sure some studio exec saw this movie and said that woman is a star.) The conscience in this movie is Garry Shandling, who provides the perfect philosophy on how a comedian survives. It's also bitter sweet as it's the last movie he ever did as himself.

Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, especially Kevin Hart, and the surprising Keenen Ivory Wayans provide the star power and tell the story of what happens when you make it big, but still all the trials you have go to get there.

Great documentary.