MISERY LOVES COMEDY

US, 2014, 90 minutes, Colour.
Amy Schumer, Janeane Garofalo, Bobby Canavale, Judd Apatow, Matthew Perry, Jon Favreau, Sam Rockwell, David Wain, Kevin Smith, Freddy Prinze Jr, Jermaine Clement, Jimmy Fallon, Mike Birbiglia, Stephen Merchant, Jason Alexander, Lewis Black, Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Gaffigan, Christopher Guest, Nick Swardson, Martin Short, Larry David, Kevin Pollak, David Koechner, Jason Reitman, Kumail Nanjiani, Jim Norton, Richard Lewis, Jim Jefferies, James L.Brooks, Wayne Federman, Kathleen Madigan, Kelly Carlin- Mc Call.
Directed by Kevin Pollak.


This is a documentary featuring more than 50 comedians. They have been interviewed by actor-director, Kevin Pollak, specifically for this film or as part of the chats on the Kevin Pollak Chatshow.

The film is mainly talking heads, but with some photos, some glimpses of performance, but mainly relying on the personalities of the comedians, there are particular presentation of themselves, articulate responses to the questions asked. Commentators have noted that Eddie Murphy is absent, as are Louis C.K and Chris Rock.

This is the range of questions:

• issues of the influence of Mommy and Daddy
• the 'look at me disease '
• oh, I see how this works
• ain't no drug like the high wire
• one of the wonderful things
• the Brit who stole from Spinal Tap and other influences
• birds of a feather

it is an opportunity to see a wide range of American comics, plus a few from the UK, including Stephen Merchant, as well as Jermaine Clement from New Zealand.

The cumulative effect is that audiences will have quite some understanding of the psyches of the comedians, their motivations, their skills, their experiences, frustrations, influences, their translating all of this into stand-up, jokes and communicating with audiences.