Following the ‘Comedian’

“Comedian,” starring Jerry Seinfeld, is an intriguing look at the

life of stand-up comedians. Shot in the documentary style with

hand-held digital cameras, the film follows Seinfeld for a year as he

struggles to create new material for his stand-up routine.

Even though we know Seinfeld as a huge star, the film shows what

happens behind the scenes, when he questions his own talent and

strives to rival, if not surpass, his prior accomplishments. Because

it’s a documentary, we get to feel like a fly on the wall as Seinfeld

speaks with successful comics such as Chris Rock, Jay Leno and Bill

Cosby about life as a comedian.

The comedians are shown in their natural habitat, the comedy club,

stripped of all the lights, makeup and hype that make them larger

than life on television or in the movies. We are shown their

agonizing preparations, their fleeting moments of joy, and the

devastation that accompanies their inevitable failures. At times you

wonder along with them why they even bother. But then you see how a

veteran inspires a rookie or how a great set can energize a performer

and it all makes sense.

One of the most interesting elements of the movie is how it

depicts the hierarchy of the comedy business. In addition to

following Seinfeld as he tries to maintain his position as a

superstar, the film also spends a great deal of time with an

up-and-coming comedian named Orny Adams. Adams alternates from being

unbearably cocky to neurotically self-conscious, and he is funnier to

watch when he is just trying to be himself than when he is doing his

routine. Through Adams, we get to see how the up-and-comer both

resents the big stars and idolizes them at the same time.

The film also shows that no matter how big a star becomes, he or

she always feels like there is someone bigger or better.

This point is illustrated when Rock and Seinfeld discuss Bill

Cosby and later in the film when Seinfeld meets Cosby for the first

time. Seinfeld shows his admiration for the veteran comic and at the

same time covets his talent and stature in the business in a manner

that is similar to the way Adams feels about Seinfeld.

“Comedian” does an excellent job of giving the audience a glimpse

of life through the eyes of a stand-up comic. There are no great

revelations in the film, and it does not exhibit the kind of forced

narrative that is found in many documentaries in which the film ends

with a great triumph or defeat. And because of that, the audience

feels like it is allowed to see something real and not just a piece

of fiction being marketed as reality. For that very reason, this may

not be the film for everyone, but it is perfect for the person who is

curious about what these comics go through just to make us laugh.

“Comedian” is rated R.

* RYAN GILMORE is a Costa Mesa resident.