The Comedy

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  • Opened November 9, 2012 (LA; 11/16 NY)
  • 1 hr 34 min
  • NR
  • On the cusp of inheriting his father's estate, Swanson (Tim Heidecker) is a man with unlimited options. An aging hipster in Brooklyn, he spends his days in aimless recreation with like-minded friends (Eric Wareheim, James Murphy and Gregg Turkington) in games of comic irreverence and mock sincerity. As Swanson grows restless of the safety a sheltered life offers him, he tests the limits of acceptable behavior, pushing the envelope in every way he can. Heidecker’s deadpan delivery cleverly masks a deep desire for connection and sense in the modern world. The Comedy wears its name on its sleeve, but director Rick Alverson's powerful and provocative character study touches a darkness behind the humor that resonates with viewers long after the story ends. Full synopsis

  • Cast: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, Kate Lyn Sheil, Alexia Rasmussen, Gregg Turkington
  • Director: Rick Alverson
  • Genres: Psychological Drama, Drama

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Critics say So-So
46 out of 100
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by bdr2go

A complete piece of garbage!...

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Critic Reviews

88
Slant Magazine
| Joseph Jon Lanthier

Tim Heidecker's Swanson does not amuse us in spite of the pity he inspires but because of it. Read full review

63
New York Post
| Kyle Smith

Picture "Raging Bull" with a sleazy prep from the Brooklyn hipsteropolis of Williamsburg, and you'll get the idea of The Comedy, a character study that tries to make the revolting compelling. Read full review

63
Boston Globe
| Wesley Morris

At some point, he finds himself drifting around a swimming pool, and it's tempting to think of Dustin Hoffman sinking to the bottom of the deep end in "The Graduate." But there's a difference. Swanson's pool is empty. Read full review

50
The Hollywood Reporter
|

The anomie of entitlement pushed to poisonous extremes is the basis of this provocation, which is as frustrating as it is intriguing. Read full review

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Tim Heidecker in "The Comedy."