Comedian
A candid, often hilarious look at Jerry Seinfeld rebuilding his stand-up career from the ground up after sitcom fame.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- self-aware
- candid
- comedy night
- documentary night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the documentary insightful in its depiction of the hard work required to create and perform comedy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jerry Seinfeld repeatedly tests unfinished material in small clubs while rebuilding his act from scratch.
Seinfeld's established sitcom fame is juxtaposed with the risks and frustrations of performing new material for modest audiences.
Seinfeld meets and performs alongside Orny Adams, Greg Giraldo, Jim Norton, Sherrod Small, and Allan Havey.
The film follows rehearsals, club appearances, conversations with comics, and preparation for a national performance.
Films like Comedian, and why
The Aristocrats
observational documentary portrait of a comedian navigating performance, persona, and professional pressure
Dying Laughing
behind-the-scenes documentary about stand-up craft, comic rivalry, and the labor of performance
Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?
intimate documentary portrait of a comedian balancing public success with creative vulnerability
Movie Details
- Director
- Christian Charles
- Release Date
- 2002-10-11
- Runtime
- 82 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (94)
Cast
- Jerry Seinfeld
- Orny Adams
- Greg Giraldo
- Jim Norton
- Sherrod Small
- Allan Havey
- Colin Quinn
- Cynthia Koury
- George Wallace
- Robert Klein
Common questions
- What is Comedian about?
- A candid, often hilarious look at Jerry Seinfeld rebuilding his stand-up career from the ground up after sitcom fame.
- What is Comedian like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Comedian as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Comedian violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Comedian.
- What did critics think of Comedian?
- Critics broadly found the documentary insightful in its depiction of the hard work required to create and perform comedy.
- Which films are like Comedian?
- Films with a similar feel include The Aristocrats, Dying Laughing, and Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?.
- How long is Comedian?
- Comedian runs 82 minutes.
