Review of The King of Comedy (1982) by Jonny C — 07 Sep 2009

In a career with such masterpieces as Goodfellas and Taxi Driver, it's not really surprising that The King of Comedy has been so neglected, but it makes it no less of a shame. One of the most awkward films I've ever watched, The King of Comedy is essentially a more satirical, slightly more comedic take on Taxi Driver, with De Niro again playing a slightly deranged man who could be capable of just about anything.

And yet, that's about where the similarities end, really. To be fair, anyone would notice the change in obsession target (from "freeing" women to becoming famous), but one of the most effective differences comes in De Niro's astonishing performance, which I honestly think ranks among his best.

Gone is the swaggering, dangerous loner of Taxi Driver, and gone is the confidence of his mob films; in their place is an awkward, unlikable, socially inept man who's about as far from threatening as he could possibly be, which makes his eventual actions all the more surprising.

To be fair, part of the reason Pupkin seems so harmless is because of Scorsese's brilliant immersion of the viewer into his world, as fantasy and reality blur so often that we sometimes lose track of which we're in, making the sudden crashes to reality (most notably that long, painful scene in Langford's house) all the more jarring and effective.

And then there's that brilliant, ironic, savagely cynical ending... Anchored by some great performances (Jerry Lewis really does a hell of a job here, even if I think he's probably playing himself to a large degree), some virtuoso direction, and a compelling, funny, uncomfortable, cynical plot, The King of Comedy is a neglected masterpiece.