Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
A look at the work of two stand-up comics, Jerry Seinfeld and a lesser-known newcomer, detailing the effort and frustration behind putting together a successful act and career while living a life on the road.
Comedian is a fly-on-the-wall documentary following Jerry Seinfeld as he rebuilds his stand-up act from scratch after Seinfeld ends, alongside newcomer Orny Adams. The contrast between the two subjects is its most compelling device. Seinfeld himself is engaging and candid, and the access to his process is genuinely interesting for comedy fans, but Orny Adams comes across as grating and the film lacks a strong narrative arc or payoff. Cinematography is functional doc-style work with little visual distinction. Novelty is modestly above average for its time as a behind-the-scenes look at the mechanics of stand-up comedy construction, though the format itself is fairly conventional. The ending drifts rather than lands with impact.