CRYING WITH LAUGHTER
UK, 2009, 93 minutes, Colour.
Stephen Mc Cole, Malcolm Shields, Andrew Neil, Micaiah Dring, Jo Hartley.
Directed by Justin Molotnikov.
Not much laughter here – but, surprisingly after the first somewhat repellent 15 minutes of the film, quite a lot for tears and reflection.
This a film about a stand-up comic, Joe Frisk (played effectively, except in his comedy routines, by Stephen McCole). Last year, Adam Sandler in Funny People showed the inner unhappiness of the comic and a preoccupation with illness and death. We don't quite know, at first, what is the inner sadness of Joe Frisk whose comedy is of the crass and crude and unfunny variety (sorry, very little variety) as is his own personal behaviour, drinking, snorting cocaine, irresponsible towards ex-partner and their daughter, welshing on debts, altogether someone that you would hesitate spending 90 minutes with.
Things take quite a turn for the odd when Joe encounters Frank, someone from school that he does not immediately recognise, who invites him to a reunion. Joe tries to avoid Frank but becomes ever more entangled when Frank identifies Joe in a line-up and he is sent to rehab. Frank, who has a considerable hurt agenda of his own, gets him out and tries to involve him a plan to abduct their headmaster, now suffering from dementia, from a nursing home.
By this time the film is more interesting than anticipated. But, it is the reason for all this effort on Frank's part that is the key, something which is very much in the headlines these years, sexual abuse of minors. Joe has repressed memories, especially after the school burnt and he was sent to a Borstal where he says that he had to try to be the funniest to survive. However, Frank has the revelations and our attention is fixed on the headmaster, bewildered at first but then reverting to his old self and unselfconsciously re-enacting the beginnings if his abusive behaviour and being unpitiable in asking them to keep his behaviour secret and from the police. By this stage, the film is very serious indeed.
For those who have persevered beyond the offputting opening and, despite the Bullpit Club's audience chortling at very unfunny performances, there is a lot to think about, especially in how Joe handles his audition for an American agent, recounting his experiences and what he has decided to do with his life from now on.
1. The title, the emphases on crying, on laughing?
2. A small-budget film, Scottish, the Edinburgh settings, the city and streets, homes, the beach, the clubs, the school? A sense of realism?
3. The comedy and the routines, Joe on the beach, drinking, thinking of material, performance, the sexual themes, raunchy and crass? His performances at the club, the audiences reactions? The cinema audience and finding the routines funny or not?
4. The theme of pain behind the comedy? Joe and his injury, telling his story at the club, the film comprising flashbacks? His using people, telling the story about meeting Frank? Collette and her intervention? Frank present? The attack on the landlord and his demanding money? The landlord present, intervening? The punch-up?
5. Joe, the barman, the waitress, waking up with the threesome? An amoral character, lines of coke? Alcoholic?
6. Karen, talking with Joe, delivering the daughter? The daughter as alert, the situations, care, the dangers? Frank abducting her, Joe’s concern? Finding her? The daughter at ease with Frank, at the school? Not aware of what was happening?
7. Frank, at the baths, talking to Joe, Joe not remembering, then recalling Frank? Joe at school, the headmaster, the drink, burning down the school? His being sent to Borstal, Joe’s comments about having to be the funniest to survive at the Borstal? Frank wanting a school reunion, urging it, Joe resisting, telling the story at the club, Frank present? Frank’s own story, his severe father, ability to dance, in the services, leaving? With Collette? The inherited house?
8. Joe’s arrest, the line-up, Frank identifying him, Joe having to go to rehab? The effect on him? Frank getting him out, finding a place, Joe staying with Frank and Collette?
9. The truth, issues of sex abuse, abuse of minors, school staff? Joe repressing the memories? Issues of anger, revenge?
10. Frank and picking up the headmaster, his suffering from dementia? Frank and his anger, shoving the headmaster around? Taking him to the school? Joe and his worry, the phone calls, worried about his daughter, getting the taxi, running to the school?
11. Frank and his taunts, the truth about the alcohol, the excessive sedatives? The headmaster and his relationship with the boys, raping Joe? The headmaster reverting to his old self, acting out? Frank and his brutality? The truth? His own guilt at putting the sedatives in the alcohol for the headmaster to save himself? Revenge?
12. Frank taking the headmaster back to the home, the swift accident and the headmaster being run over?
13. The American agent, the MC at the club, Joe’s own agent? The reactions to Joe, the MC going on, Joe arriving late, talking to the agent, doing his spiel, deciding against the United States?
14. The experience for Joe as a kind of exorcism, through the performance, through the truth, having to deal with Frank, the situation at the school, his concern about his daughter? A possibility of reform, going to see Karen, the discussions, going away with a stronger sense of self-worth?
