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A Futile and Stupid Gesture: Directed by David Wain. With Frank Gingerich, Morgan Gingerich, Annette O'Toole, Harry Groener. In the 1970s and '80s, National Lampoon's success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled Douglas Kenney.
Roughly ten years elapsed between the National Lampoon's first edition and Kenney's mysterious death in August 1980; but in that decade — the nihilistic, cocaine-fueled '70s — the tormented,...
A Futile and Stupid Gesture is a 2018 American biographical comedy-drama film based on Josh Karp's book of the same title, directed by David Wain, and written by Michael Colton and John Aboud. The film stars Will Forte as comedy writer Douglas Kenney, during the rise and fall of National Lampoon.
A Futile and Stupid Gesture, which hits Netflix Jan. 26, should become required viewing for anyone who calls themselves a comedy lover.
A Futile and Stupid Gesture entertainingly recreates the birth of an influential comedic movement, even if it struggles to cover its creative ground. Read Critics Reviews
A Futile and Stupid Gesture, adapted from Josh Karp’s 2006 book about the rise and fall of legendary comedy outfit National Lampoon, above all else can’t be faulted for its affectionate...
Worst of all, “A Futile and Stupid Gesture” can’t keep its irreverent, NL-inspired tone throughout, and Wain can’t quite handle the serious stuff—one gets the impression he’d much rather be hanging out in the writer’s room or behind-the-scenes of the radio show than dealing with Kenney’s drug addiction and infidelities.
