A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018)

This is a good movie. It's a story well told but it's certainly one sided. For one thing it ignores the fact that National Lampoon wasn't very funny. It is also a bit of a hatchet job on the parents and P J O'Rourke, whose least credit, as probably the funniest American print writer of the 20th century, is editor of NL.

Worth watching though.

Fmovies: Somewhat crass but obviously a fair reflection of how it actually was when he was creating the National Lampoom/ Animal House. Will Forte plays a good Doug Kennedy but I wish his character was a little less flat, only brushing over the past that has apparently made him into the somewhat terrible person he is. Definitely an entertaining watch though.

All of us at some time or another have had a National Lampoon's experience.

Perhaps it was a sneaky viewing of Animal House when you were too young to do so, watching the Griswold's various eventful vacations or maybe some golfing antics in the form of Caddyshack, National Lampoon's played an important part in mainstream comedy events of the late 70's and 80's and therefore has played a part in our lives at some stage or another.

Looking to provide insight into how this world-wide recognised brand came to be, Wet Hot American Summer director David Wain has assembled a capable cast to front his Netflix distributed biopic A Futile and Stupid Gesture but this 90 minute feature will leave many more casually interested fans left wanting, while diehard fans will quickly begin to realise that well-renowned documentary Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead is a much more assured and insightful look at the rise and fall of main National Lampoon campaigner and co-creator Doug Kenney.

Here played by cult figure Will Forte, Kenney is a complicated and hard to read figure that remains an illusively mysterious character throughout Wain's feature and a figure that's hard to fully connect with both due to the fact Kenney is a rather obnoxious person and that Forte feels out of his depth with a role that's hard work for the actor, particularly in the times Forte is tasked with bringing a college aged Kenney to life in the films early stages.

Surrounded by quality actors such as a near unrecognisable Domhnall Gleeson as Kenney's partner in crime Henry Beard, Emmy Rossum as Kenney's second wife Kathryn Walker and supporting turns from the likes of Ed Helms and curiously Joel McHale as Chevy Chase, Forte never fully convinces in his lead turn while most actors struggle to make an impact as Wain's focus continually stops and starts as Futile's brief but cluttered 90 minute runtime moves forward.

Adopting a rather unique approach to proceedings and trying its best to divert from the usual biopic by the numbers rulebook, Wain's film isn't afraid to break the 4th wall and even at one stage admits to all the things its skipped over or changed for dramatic license but at the end of the day Wain's film still feels rather generic and most disappointingly like a National Lampoon's greatest hits parade, showcasing all the things we expected to see (e.g. Animal House's inception, Chevy Chase doing far too many illegal drugs) without ever really surprising viewers in any meaningful way.

Final Say -

The story of National Lampoon and Kenney is a story worth telling and a no doubt intriguing one for fans of the comedic brand but A Futile and Stupid Gesture feels like a missed opportunity to fully encapsulate the brands inception and the beginning of a whole new era of comedy.

2 studio lot fisticuffs out of 5

A Futile and Stupid Gesture fmovies. 'A FUTILE AND STUPID GESTURE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A comedy biopic about writer Doug Kenney, who was the main contributor to the success of National Lampoon in the 1970s and 80s. The film stars Will Forte as Kenney, and it was directed by David Wain (who also helmed 'WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER', and several episodes of the TV series based on it). It costars Domhnall Gleeson, Martin Mull, Emmy Rossum, Matt Walsh, Joel McHale, and many others (in cameos as famous comedians). The movie was scripted by John Aboud and Michael Colton, and it's based on the book (of the same name) by Josh Karp. The film was released by Netflix through it's streaming site, and it's gotten mixed to positive reviews from critics. I found it to be both educational and funny, but it's also a little too dark and unbalanced.

The film is narrated by Doug Kenney, supposedly in modern day (Mull). He tells his life story, starting when he was in his twenties (Forte); when he and his best friend Henry Beard (Gleeson) decided to create the magazine National Lampoon. It of course became a huge success, and blockbuster movies followed (like 'ANIMAL HOUSE' and 'CADDYSHACK'). Kenney could never be content, or happy, still though.

I knew nothing about Doug Kenney previous to seeing this movie, but I love his work. So I was absolutely fascinated by this film, and I of course found it to be very educational. I also loved seeing all of these other actors portraying other famous actors (like Chevy Chase, Bill Murray and John Belushi). I also just really enjoyed seeing how these classic comedy films, and that famous comedy magazine, came to life. Forte is great in the lead too, and the supporting cast is all more than adequate. The film, as funny and interesting as it often is, is still really dark and depressing though. It left me with mixed feelings about how I really felt about it as a whole. It's also got a strong TV feel to it, which kind of cheapens what should have been a theatrical film feel (the story deserved a theatrical presentation at least).

A Futile and Stupid Gesture is about the creation of the National Lampoon brand and its creator Doug Kenney. This film follows Doug through his extraordinary heights and lows of his life in the comedy business.

This film is directed by David Wain (Role Models), Wrote by Michael Colton and John Aboud (Penguins of Madagascar). It stars Will Forte (Nebraska) as Doug Kenney, Domhnall Gleeson (Ex Machina) and Martin Mull (Clue) as The Narrator. Along with a great line up of stellar comedians.

What I liked about this film was it's direction and in my opinion pitch perfect interpretations of famous actors and directors. I really enjoyed Joel McHale as Chevy Chase and Will Forte as Doug Kenney. Most of the jokes are funny as well especially the ones featuring famous scenes in films and how they came about. My favorite scene would have to be the ending though which for someone who didn't know the story actually had me tearing up a bit.

But some of the jokes do not hit for me, along with a dive in quality in the middle of the film which makes it last forever. means that it certainly isn't comic genius.

However I do like this film and think you should watch it. Its a bit rough around the edges but it means well and for fans of National Lampoon films, this fil is defiantly for you.

7/10

It's weird watching this immediately after Drunk Stoned Stupid Dead (Im also reading the Making of Caddyshack, which is basically about the making of National Lampoon) and....

Joel McHale as Chevy is inspired casting. A lot of the casting is - Will Forte and Domnhall Gleeson at the top and their scenes in the first half of the film making up the real heart of the thing (like Social Network but totally wiseass, which is fun).

But that framing device is just pure WTF, and it ends on a note that maybe Kenney would have appreciated if he were alive, but he's not and we are and it feels so... I dunno. It's also strange to be living in 2018 and (as David Erhlich pointed out, im sure he wasnt alone) have a straight-faced take on the "wrong kid died" cliche that was mocked ten years ago in Walk Hard. Sure it did happen here, but Wain's treatment doesnt skirt the cliche, it just is one.

There are enough fun bits here to make it watchable (grading sort of on a Netflix curve), and the actors are all trying their best. And... It's fine. Which is not the kind of praise Kenney would've wanted.