Douglas Kenney
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- This is a well-made and engaging biopic that takes a bit of license with the truth, as it explicitly confesses and mimics the subversive, dysfunctional style of its subject to tell his story. However, the one thing its clever writing, solid performances, and adept direction cannot do is make its subject more likable than he actually was.
www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/a-futile-and-stupid-gestureA Futile and Stupid Gesture Movie Review | Common Sense Media
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Jan 26, 2018 · Just as it’s an obvious way to convey a message—Nixon is a liar—too much of “A Futile & Stupid Gesture” takes a similarly predictable route to gets its history across. The story of Doug Kenney and the ascendance of National Lampoon is told primarily through narration and montage.
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A Futile and Stupid Gesture entertainingly recreates the birth of an influential comedic movement, even if it struggles to cover its creative ground. Read Critics Reviews
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- Will Forte
- David Wain
- Principato-Young Entertainment
Jan 31, 2018 · A Futile and Stupid Gesture is very much of a piece with actor-director David Wain’s cult-film-turned-Netflix-franchise Wet Hot American Summer, from the general quickfire humor, deadpan ...
A Futile and Stupid Gesture is plenty watchable, well-paced with a few solid bits. Unfortunately, the film never does much more than scratch the surface. Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 |...
- An appropriately silly National Lampoon origin story.
- A Futile and Stupid Gesture Photos
- Verdict
By Alex Welch
Updated: Jan 25, 2018 11:31 pm
Posted: Jan 25, 2018 11:26 pm
A Futile and Stupid Gesture launches on Netflix on January 26.
It’s difficult to think of a decade more influential to comedy and pop culture than the 1970s, when some of the greatest stand-up comedians and television personalities were first introduced to the world, and shows like Saturday Night Live signaled a seismic shift in the way people could consume sketch comedy. At the beginning of all of that, too, was National Lampoon, co-created by Doug Kenney, Henry Beard, and Robert Hoffman as a spin-off to the Harvard Lampoon.
It was through the Lampoon magazine, stage show, and radio show, that Kenney and Beard brought the world some of the very first material from future comedy giants like Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, John Hughes, Chris Miller, and more. Of course, National Lampoon’s influence and work didn’t stop there either, with several of the team members going on to write and produce some of the most beloved and successful comedy movies of all time, like Animal House and Caddyshack.
Wisely, though, Wain and co. have surrounded Forte with a number of talented veteran players, including Gleeson as Beard, the intellectual and lovable partner to Kenney, who brings a level-headedness to the formation of National Lampoon that proves vital to its success. As in all of his previous work, Gleeson shows just how gifted of an actor he is, managing to bring some real emotion and depth to Beard. One scene later on in the film between Kenney and Beard particularly shines because of the work that Gleeson has put into developing the character, even despite several gaps throughout when he’s nowhere to be seen.
Some of the film’s other notable players are Emmy Rossum as Kenney’s girlfriend, Kathryn Walker, who Kenney woos one night in a bar during a particularly dark time in his life, and Joel McHale as Chevy Chase, who in addition to being a star of his own, was one of Kenney’s closest friends/peers. While both actors aren’t really left with all that much to do, they make the most of their appearances and their bonds with Kenney are integral to making the film’s final act as impactful it is.
Even though the use of one particular plot device ends up feeling unnecessary and Will Forte can often appear miscast in the lead role, A Futile and Stupid Gesture still conjures up enough real emotions and inventive moments to feel like a worthwhile addition to Hollywood’s often tired biopic subgenre. That it covers such an endlessly fascinating a...
- Alex Welch
Jan 25, 2018 · A Futile and Stupid Gesture captures that Kenney while respecting his mystery. It’s not particularly illuminating, but it’s far from futile.
Jan 25, 2018 · Film Review: ‘A Futile and Stupid Gesture’. Will Forte plays Doug Kenney, founding father of The National Lampoon, in a biopic that's so bizarrely slapdash you can't believe a minute of...
