Overview
A young man grapples with his past while navigating the challenges of adulthood in a comedic yet poignant journey.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- raunchy
- warm
- lazy sunday
- character driven comedy night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film a sharp, tender, and emotionally sincere dramedy anchored by Pete Davidson's nuanced performance, while its uncertain tone and long runtime limited its impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Scott is a mid-twenties slacker living with his mother, smoking weed, pursuing an uncertain tattoo career, and avoiding grief after his father's death.
The film grounds Scott's friendships, family life, ambitions, and firefighter connections in Staten Island and its local working-class milieu.
Scott's self-destructive stasis and family conflict are rendered through dark jokes, raunchy camaraderie, and sincere confrontations with bereavement.
Pete Davidson co-writes and stars as Scott, whose firefighter father's death and Staten Island background parallel the film's personal premise.
Films like The King of Staten Island, and why
Funny People
Both are warm, raunchy coming-of-age comedies about arrested development, grief, and reluctant emotional maturity.
The Way Way Back
Both blend stoner comedy, family drama, and painful personal growth through an emotionally complicated male protagonist.
This Is 40
Both use shaggy humor and ensemble chemistry to explore immature adults confronting responsibility and family expectations.
Manchester by the Sea
Both are character-driven dramedies about grief, self-sabotage, and tentative recovery in a contemporary working-class setting.
Movie Details
- Director
- Judd Apatow
- Release Date
- 2020-07-22
- Runtime
- 137 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (1176)
Cast
- Pete Davidson
- Marisa Tomei
- Bill Burr
- Bel Powley
- Maude Apatow
- Steve Buscemi
- Pamela Adlon
- Action Bronson
- Kevin Corrigan
- Ricky Velez
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The King of Staten Island about?
- A grieving Staten Island slacker is pushed out of arrested development when his mother falls for a firefighter who challenges the life he has built around avoidance.
- What is The King of Staten Island like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The King of Staten Island as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The King of Staten Island violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The King of Staten Island as mild.
- What did critics think of The King of Staten Island?
- Critics generally found the film a sharp, tender, and emotionally sincere dramedy anchored by Pete Davidson's nuanced performance, while its uncertain tone and long runtime limited its impact.
- Which films are like The King of Staten Island?
- Films with a similar feel include Funny People, The Way Way Back, This Is 40, and Manchester by the Sea.
- How long is The King of Staten Island?
- The King of Staten Island runs 137 minutes.
- Where can I watch The King of Staten Island?
- In United States, The King of Staten Island is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
