I recall someone saying that The Comedian, a comedy starring Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, Danny DeVito and Leslie Mann wasn’t great. This surprised me considering the very talented cast. I of course watched it anyway and can say that there were moments where I laughed and smiled.

Directed by Taylor Hackford and with De Niro playing a sort of lovable rogue in the shape of an ageing insult comic named Jack Burke, I wouldn’t call this film one of the most memorable movies in De Niro’s filmography. It reminded me a little of what I love most about Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm; a situation comedy series where Larry David plays a version of himself. David’s character says what he truly thinks and does precisely as he wishes even if it makes everyone around him, especially his loved ones extremely uncomfortable therefore keeping them in an almost constant state of ‘suffering’ – to great comic effect.

The Comedian is no where near as funny as Curb but it was tolerable enough for me to watch the entire thing. If anything about this movie can be described as forced, it’s perhaps the comedy element. When considering the events that take place in the film and how they unfold, I certainly wouldn’t describe much of it as ‘bursting at the seams with cliches’ at least not from my pesrpective – and that’s a good thing.

I say watch it if you must but only if you must.

Happy Film Loving .

G