Martin Scorsese, 1983
Rupert Pupkin (Robert DeNiro) wants to be a comedian on TV, like his hero, Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis). He'd do anything to achieve his dream, including kidnapping and extortion.The King of Comedy is kind of like a comedic version of Taxi Driver, revolving around a pathetic DeNiro character who just doesn't see the world the way everyone else does - perhaps dangerously so. That it fails to reach the heights of Taxi Driver is less a function of the change in genres (which is less extreme than you might think) and more a lack of focus - right when we should be sinking deeper into Pupkin's madness, Scorsese cuts away to awkward interludes featuring the staggeringly unfunny Sandra Bernhard, which feel more like standard comedian mugging and less like anything organic. Still, there's a lot to like, with the tense and awkward confrontation at Jerry's vacation home as a highlight. Speaking of Jerry (Lewis this time, not Langford), he gives a very interesting performance, unlike anything I'd ever expect from him. If nothing else, it's worth watching just to see that other side of him.
7/10
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