2020 has really proven itself a strange year when two of my favorite films so far feature a fantastic performance from Pete Davidson. Never would I have guessed that such a warm film to comfort me in these times could come from the minds of the SNL star and Judd Apatow but here we are. The King of Staten Island, based upon Davidson's own tragic upbringing, is an incredible film that touches on so many different themes with every trademark piece of Apatow filmmaking. Despite this movie being a bit overly long with Apatow not knowing where the editing room is, this might be his most mature film to date and is helped by spectacular performances from the entire cast. With everything going on in Davidson's world, a film like this is an absolutely solid jumping-off point into the world of more serious drama and I was genuinely surprised at how much I related to and could feel for his character. This film is definitely a lot stronger than I could have ever expected but one that is welcome nonetheless.
Scott Carlin (Pete Davidson) lives with his mother Margie (Marisa Tomei) and sister Claire (Maude Apatow) and spends his days smoking weed and being generally unproductive. When his mom meets and begins a relationship with a fireman named Ray (Bill Burr), Scott is forced to confront his own past and deal with the complicated relationships in his life, namely the one with his late father who was also a firefighter. This script, written by Apatow, Davidson, and Dave Sirus, is undeniably stellar and I loved every scene throughout this film. While some of them might not have been there to really advance the plot at all, they all seemed so necessary in order to get the audience to understand his world. That's where I think this film succeeds the most: it blends Davidson's expected stoner humor with a dark and surprisingly emotional story that will actually make you feel for him. This film never intended to solve any of Davidson's problems or go straight to the point with its plot, but rather just explored the many aspects of his life that led him to be the way he is now. For people out of touch with current culture, it may be difficult to understand what makes Davidson such a special case in examining his backstory, but I feel like this film was practically therapy for both him and the audience. The script touches on some different themes incredibly well, including confronting your past as it meets your present and the trauma that comes from losing a family member. While he has publicly joked about it, Davidson's father's death during 911 is something that will always define him and I feel like this film did a great job of bringing some light to his darkness. Not only has this movie helped him embrace this part of his life but it can absolutely help anyone struggling with the same. His performance in this film is fantastic as well and despite him just playing himself, there's a comfort from his presence. I appreciate the honesty that defines his brand of comedy and it works incredibly well for this story.
Apatow's films are definitely not for everyone but one thing for certain is that he is able to take a universally known comedian and absolutely destroy their public image for the better. What Apatow did for Adam Sandler in Funny People, he does for Davidson in The King of Staten Island and I loved the direction he took with this story, as generic for him as it might seem. Apatow's storytelling is not the forefront of this film but rather the dark content that Davidson brings with him and I think that it works for both of their advantages very well. My one gripe with this film is its length and how the story meanders around a bit too much but in all honesty, that has become so expected of Apatow that it is now almost likable. Taking time to really build upon the characters in Scott's life and give light to how they all influenced him was a great choice. I loved how so many of the characters were so well-developed and the many subplots going on all contributed to Scott's anxiety and sense of overwhelming pressure. The many supporting performances were incredible and the chemistry that this entire cast shared was palpable. Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr, Maude Apatow, and Bel Powley were all spectacular, and to see their characters accompany Scott on his journey was amazing. Burr, in particular, stood out to me and while I am not too familiar with his comedy, his grounded performance as Tomei's love interest was such a strong point to base this plot around. Scott's struggle to accept his mom dating another firefighter after the pain that he was carrying was perfectly embodied by the persona of Ray and Burr carried that out excellently. There's nothing extraordinary about this film's technicals other than its stellar soundtrack and cute montage sequences but this is the first film from the past couple months that I have been genuinely excited for. This movie might not make its way onto my top favorites of all time but the pure excitement of a new release is a fantastic feeling that I have deeply missed during these times.
The King of Staten Island is one of the best dramedies I have seen as of recent and I was positively taken aback by some of the storytelling choices that were used. Just like with most of Apatow's other films, this one did feel a bit too long but as I had mentioned, it really just becomes part of the charm. Diving deep into Davidson's dark past definitely helped to give audiences a glimpse into his mind and while he has been consistently ragged on recently for things happening to him, it's really great to see him thrive in a story of his own.
My Rating: ★★★★½
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