This is an awkward movie, not just because so much of it focused on a main character who seems a little off, who doesn’t seem to be aware of how badly he performs on stage.
(Honestly, I think that this aspect of the character has been ramped up for dramatic purposes.)
No, what makes it awkward is that the structure of the movie feels off. I’m not about to break the movie down, but even as the themes and focus came clearer, the movie improved, but it still couldn’t overcome the aimlessness that the first half seemed to have.
I have a harder time believing that any comic could be that unaware of their own performance. The early “bad set” of jokes isn’t actually as terrible as it’s made out to be. It’s mostly a miserable performance because he doesn’t offer any delivery. Being aware of delivery is something just about anyone knows about; unless you’re dealing with a 5th grader.
What’s even weirder is that this material should have made for a much better movie. I’ve heard this story on This American Life, and the story is exceptionally great there. When we see the story performed for the camera, it doesn’t have the same impact.
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