The Comedian

“You know you’re gonna be all right?” is the last line in Tom Shkolnik’s debut film about a thirty-something Londoner attempting to get a grip on his life. While trying his hand at stand-up comedy, Ed (played subtly by Edward Hogg) meets Nathan on his way home. What begins as an honest assessment of Ed’s awful comedy, turns into a romantic tryst and burgeoning relationship. Ed is depressed about his job at a call center and can’t seem to grasp the basic concepts of successful comedy. But meeting Nathan has finally given him a promising outlook on life. THE COMEDIAN is not a silly romp through sex-crazed London; it is an intelligent depiction of a young man searching for the identity that has eluded him for his entire life. Utilizing an improvised script, the film gives an honest and fresh look at the current crop of adults (“Reality Bites” for the next generation) and their seemingly non-existent place in the world. Ed soon realizes his love for his flatmate Elisa. And his ever-drifting life sets off again on another free-fall. Excellently shot and wonderfully acted, THE COMEDIAN may not be slap-stick comedy, but it reveals the pain hiding inside all clowns and wayward jokers. – T.W.