Movie Review – Funny Pages (2022)

Humorous Pages, 2022.

Written and Directed by Owen Kline.
Starring Daniel Zolghadri, Matthew Maher, Miles Emanuel, Josh Pais, Maria Dizzia, Marcia DeBonis, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Michael Townsend Wright, Cleveland Thomas Jr, Rob M. Anderson, Andy Milonakis, Louise Lasser, and Ron Rifkin.

SYNOPSIS:

A bitingly humorous coming-of-age story of a teenage cartoonist who rejects the comforts of his suburban life in a misguided quest for soul.

One has to surprise simply how private the themes of creative expression, mentorship, and independence in Humorous Pages are to author/director and, sure, cartoonist (similar to protagonist right here) Owen Kline, the son of well-known actor Kevin Kline. The movie facilities on middle-class suburban teenager Robert (Daniel Zolghadri, someway straightforward to put money into and root for, even upon realizing he’s a spoiled brat), an aspiring cartoonist underneath tutelage from a highschool artwork trainer (Stephen Adly Guirgis) who he seems to have quite a lot of respect for. With out moving into specifics (a lot of what transpires right here is unpredictable in a darkly comedic trend), the dynamic between them rapidly turns into as uncomfortably humorous because it does tragic.

It’s a disgrace that Humorous Pages doesn’t essentially additional interrogate the trigger for concern of this mentor/pupil friendship, nevertheless it nonetheless lingers in Roberts’s thoughts. However, such a loopy evening leads the 17-year-old to a daring resolution; quitting college, giving up on school, and transferring away to a dirty, slumped condominium basement the place he can concentrate on his drawings and making a reputation for himself. By extension, it’s additionally straightforward to purchase into that Owen Kline both went by means of one thing related together with his work as a cartoonist or desires to observe the same path in Hollywood with out falling again on nepotism (overlooking the manufacturing credit of Uncut Gems directorial siblings Josh and Benny Safdie, who aren’t precisely wealthy off of their work but anyway).

Whether or not one finds this line between actuality and fiction intriguing or not, Humorous Pages additionally succeeds attributable to its subversive, upside-down underdog story stuffed with shady supporting characters that each one appear to have taken a shower in grease and sweat earlier than getting lathered up in make-up designed to present them a repellent look. Take a look at each solid member compared to how they appear on this film; its evening and day attraction lends an ickiness to the situational humor. There’s additionally a graininess to the pictures that makes one really feel like they could possibly be watching a film set many years in the past, aligning (together with some nostalgic laughs from props like a Tremendous Mario hat that appears prefer it has by no means been washed) with what appears to be an early 2000s setting.

Robert turns into employed by a lawyer (Marcia DeBonis), navigates a tumultuous friendship like an insulting jackass to his greatest good friend  Miles (Miles Emanuel, caked in extreme pimples for visible impact), and finds himself in awkward encounters together with his roommate (who’s doubly uncomfortable contemplating the restricted, tiny area), and befriends a former colorist within the mentally unstable Wallace (a riotous Matthew Maher), who has a bodily beef together with his native pharmacist, is dripping with nervousness whereas concurrently saying no matter inappropriate factor is on his thoughts, and has no real interest in providing Robert classes except there’s a hefty payout.

It’s principally left as much as the viewer to dig into this juxtaposition between mentors and the talk between artwork for soul and commerce. Nevertheless, Humorous Pages concludes with an absurd third act that could be a wild hoot (though it doesn’t neatly tie every thing collectively). When the story lacks substance and feels stagnant, the grotesque aptitude reasonably carries the expertise. The script positive had some humorous pages, as it is a successful, off-kilter debut from Owen Kline.

Flickering Fantasy Ranking – Movie: ★ ★ ★  / Film: ★ ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Movie Critics Affiliation and the Critics Selection Affiliation. He’s additionally the Flickering Fantasy Evaluations Editor. Verify right here for brand spanking new critiques, observe my Twitter or Letterboxd, or e mail me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com

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