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Jan 26, 2018 · Reviews. A Futile and Stupid Gesture. Brian Tallerico January 26, 2018. Tweet. Now streaming on: Powered by JustWatch. The good men and women of the National Lampoon changed comedy forever.
View All (44) Critics Reviews. Todd Gilchrist TheWrap A Futile And Stupid Gesture is, ultimately, anything but pointless, exploring an important moment in pop culture through the life of...
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- Will Forte
- David Wain
- Principato-Young Entertainment
- An appropriately silly National Lampoon origin story.
- A Futile and Stupid Gesture Photos
- Verdict
By Alex Welch
Updated: Jan 25, 2018 11:31 pm
Posted: Jan 25, 2018 11:26 pm
A Futile and Stupid Gesture launches on Netflix on January 26.
It’s difficult to think of a decade more influential to comedy and pop culture than the 1970s, when some of the greatest stand-up comedians and television personalities were first introduced to the world, and shows like Saturday Night Live signaled a seismic shift in the way people could consume sketch comedy. At the beginning of all of that, too, was National Lampoon, co-created by Doug Kenney, Henry Beard, and Robert Hoffman as a spin-off to the Harvard Lampoon.
It was through the Lampoon magazine, stage show, and radio show, that Kenney and Beard brought the world some of the very first material from future comedy giants like Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, John Hughes, Chris Miller, and more. Of course, National Lampoon’s influence and work didn’t stop there either, with several of the team members going on to write and produce some of the most beloved and successful comedy movies of all time, like Animal House and Caddyshack.
Wisely, though, Wain and co. have surrounded Forte with a number of talented veteran players, including Gleeson as Beard, the intellectual and lovable partner to Kenney, who brings a level-headedness to the formation of National Lampoon that proves vital to its success. As in all of his previous work, Gleeson shows just how gifted of an actor he is, managing to bring some real emotion and depth to Beard. One scene later on in the film between Kenney and Beard particularly shines because of the work that Gleeson has put into developing the character, even despite several gaps throughout when he’s nowhere to be seen.
Some of the film’s other notable players are Emmy Rossum as Kenney’s girlfriend, Kathryn Walker, who Kenney woos one night in a bar during a particularly dark time in his life, and Joel McHale as Chevy Chase, who in addition to being a star of his own, was one of Kenney’s closest friends/peers. While both actors aren’t really left with all that much to do, they make the most of their appearances and their bonds with Kenney are integral to making the film’s final act as impactful it is.
Even though the use of one particular plot device ends up feeling unnecessary and Will Forte can often appear miscast in the lead role, A Futile and Stupid Gesture still conjures up enough real emotions and inventive moments to feel like a worthwhile addition to Hollywood’s often tired biopic subgenre. That it covers such an endlessly fascinating a...
- Alex Welch
Jan 26, 2018 · Culture. A Futile and Stupid Gesture Is a Basic Comedy Biopic. David Wain’s exploration of the career of the National Lampoon founder Doug Kenney skims the surface of his appeal. By David...
- David Wain
Jan 25, 2018 · The makers of A Futile and Stupid Gesture might have wondered if that title would be the verdict on their biopic of Doug Kenney, the National Lampoon co-founder and co-writer of Animal House.His ...
- Senior Movie Critic
Jan 31, 2018 · Movie Reviews. ‘A Futile and Stupid Gesture’: Film Review | Sundance 2018. Will Forte stars as Doug Kenney, one of the founders of National Lampoon and co-writer of 'Animal House' and...
Jan 25, 2018 · Film. Reviews. Jan 25, 2018 3:55pm PT. Film Review: ‘A Futile and Stupid Gesture’. Will Forte plays Doug Kenney, founding father of The National Lampoon, in a biopic that's so bizarrely...
