THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND

US, 2020, 136 minutes, Colour.

Pete Davidson, Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr, Bel Powley, Maude Apatow, Steve Buscemi, Kevin Corrigan.

Directed by Judd Apatow.

For 20 years and more, Jud Apatow has created a reputation for offbeat comedies, often focusing on sexuality, sexuality inadequacies, a touch of the raunchy and then bringing it together in an edifying way. Some of his films include Knocked Up, The 40-Year Old Virgin and films for Adam Sandler. His name as director is an invitation to watch his film.

Pete Davidson is an acquired taste as a comedian, idiosyncratic in films, suddenly guest -appearing, with his series on television. And here he is combined with Apatow.

The plot of this film is based somewhat on Davidson’s own life, the death of his father as a firefighter, as in this film, a disturbed growing up, addictions… His character here is named Scott.

The film has Marisa Tomei as Scott’s mother and Maude Apatow as his sister, Bel Powley as his on and off girlfriend. Scott has attention deficiencies, gets into tangles with people, is full of neuroses. However, he wants to be a tattooist and encounters a young boy and begin cinema tattoo, the boy running back to his father, Ray, Bill Burr. As the plot develops, Ray is attracted to Scott’s mother, Scott resenting this, leading to all kinds of confrontations.

So, this is a picaresque story of Scott’s ups and downs, neuroses, tangled relationships, potential disasters, but finally some recognition, his workers are tattooists, clashes with Ray and then bonding with him, and, with Jud Apatow stories, a happy/moral app at syndrome ending. (But enjoyment of the film will depend on response to Pete Davidson, his presence in style.)

1. Expectations from Jud Apatow comedy? Introducing characters, slackers, ordinary American life? Slowly introducing the characters, deepening them, more humane interactions, moving towards moralising and values solutions? The Jud Apatow syndrome?
2. The title, Pete Davidson coming from Staten Island, his father a firefighter? The ambience of Staten Island, homes, streets, the water, the ferry, New York City?
3. Pete Davidson, stand-up comic, 21^st-century style?
4. The atmosphere of the opening, the introduction to Scott, his friends, drugs, slackers, their conversations? Kelsey and the other girl? The match and treatment of the women? Scott and his secret relationship with Kelsey? Scott at home, his father killed in the fire when Scott was seven, missing his father, his relationship with his mother, living at home, her tolerance, yet her wanting him to move out and have some independence?
5. Margie, memories of her husband, the shrine in to him, covering up the memory of his being liked his son? Expectations of her life? Ray and his outburst at the door, his return an apology, conversation, outing, the beginning of the relationship? The effect on her?
6. Scott, attention deficit, yet intelligent but slow, his skill in drawing? The obsession with tattoos, so many tattoos, wanting to open the tattooed restaurant? Tattooed on his friends? The incident with Harold, Harold agreeing to tattoo, Igor stopping him? The consequences, Ray and his anger, the outburst at the door, targeting Scott?
7. Scott, his friends, the drugs, idle, no ambitions? The farce of the robbery of the pharmacy, Scott’s lookout, distracted, the others disguised, the owner and his wife, the guns, the shooting, the mayhem? The arrest, visiting them in jail?
8. Scott and his antagonism towards Ray? Continually undermining him with his mother? Strategies, malicious? The fight with Ray, Margie finding them, ousting them both?
9. Scott, desperate, meeting with Kelsey and wanting to stay with her, her rejection? Going to the jail, his request, refused? Nowhere to stay, going down to the firehouse? Memories of his going to the baseball match with Ray, meeting the men from the station, the discussions? Especially about having children?
10. At the fire station, the men taking him in, the bed for the night, the gradual increase in pranks on him, hosing him…? Bonding with the men, cleaning the engines, work around the station? His bonding with Ray? Their talking? The background of Scott walking Harold and his sister to school, bonding with them, his enjoying it? Going to see Ray’s wife, her badmouthing him?
11. Going on the firefighting, his watching the heroism?
12. Going to visit his mother, his aunt? His mother ousting him again?
13. Clare, the tensions in their growing up, his mother demanding he go to her graduation, his going to the party, failure? Her going to college? The later visit?
14. Ray admiring Scott sketch of the hero? Ray allowing himself to be tattooed but not to see the result? The range of tattoos on Ray’s back? Everybody’s reaction?
15. Scott, meeting Kelsey, on the ferry, helping her with her exam? In love with her?
16. Scott growing up – would he continue to grow up? The future of the family, Margie and Reyer, the children, Scott and Kelsey, Claire?
17. An example of the Jud Apatow Syndrome?