It is a fine day for something funny, relatable and wholesome & "The King of Staten Island" delivers a rather enjoyable package in that department. Judd Apatow's most famous include "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (which I loved) and "Knocked Up", and the last before last, whole 5 years ago, was "Trainwreck", which I happened to catch on the big screen, it was okay but not a fan... This time around Apatow directs a story co-written with its standout star Pete Davidson, dedicated to his dad Scott Davidson, and quite heavily inspired by Pete's own life. Though not without its flaws, I can tell You "The King of Staten Island" is easily my favorite Judd Apatow piece since 2005.
To most probably known as a member of SNL, now rising comic, actor and cool dude Pete Davidson is portraying Scott, a 24 year old who has been a case of ADD ever since his firefighter dad died when he was seven. Jobless and living with mom, Scott spends his days smoking bud, hanging out with friends and dreaming of being a tattoo artist. When some new characters enter his life, he is forced to grapple grief, trauma and take his first steps towards redemption. In real life, Pete Davidson's father was a firefighter who died in the line of duty, rescuing victims of the 9/11 attack. Cast member Steve Buscemi used to be a firefighter in the wake of the 80's, and returned to help on the day of the same tragedy.
"The King of Staten Island" is mainly a story about growing up, finding the good things, learning to accept those good things, and taking responsibility over one's life. There's genuine sentiment in its heart, which rests in just the right place, and it can also be legitimately funny. It's not structurally perfect, and can feel a little too scenic, focusing on the quality of separate sequences that do not add a lot of story. The big turning point starts manifesting itself as late as 100 minutes into the movie, and in the end the 2 hour and 17 minute runtime is a little too tall. Having said that, it is a dramedy that's never boring, always pleasantly amusing. This kind of plot, I believe, is pretty predictable by default, so enjoy the substitute, the always-present-low-key-charm. As a 23 year currently stuck in my hometown and great friends with Mary Jane, I felt like an appropriate audience member for "The King of Staten Island", and that's what I meant with "relatable and wholesome". Some might say that a big part of this movie isn't about a whole lot of anything, but I beg to differ, perhaps the idyllic view on such simplicities tells a lot.
I think it's apparent Pete Davidson is a pivotal part of why the movie works so well. In what might very likely be his best performance to date, he plays a likeable, decent guy with a good heart and some troubles in it, plays him so authentically one could guess some of it comes from a place of past pain. But that's not it, the supporting cast delivers well above average performances as well - do not miss the chance to see Bill Burr in a bigger role and rocking an impressive moustache, and the female counterparts for both - Bel Powley and Marisa Tomei, anchor the balance perfectly.
Judd Apatow is arguably one of Hollywood Heavyweights, making a film with a cast that don't fall back all that much, so the level of these ingredients resemble themselves also in every technical and aesthetical department. It's visually very well orchestrated, subtle and perfect in its simplicity, never once anything distracting catches the eye. Soundtrack has a couple of real nice tunes in it, of which one dear-to-my-heart nostalgia song ended the film, but I won't spoil it.
Even now I wonder why not more, because I really, really dug it, but I believe that it deserves a good, flavorful, perhaps even memorable 7/10. I recommend it, well, just about everyone who's not too young for it, even one point of intrigue is enough.
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