Crying with Laughter (2009)

by Nina Dubravec for remotegoat on 19/10/09

TV director Justin Molotnikov's debut feature is a tragicomic thriller which explores the idea of 'memory' through three very different male characters. Filmed using mostly funding awarded through national screen agencies and a script improvised through workshops, the film is a good example of solid low budget film-making.

The protagonist is Joey Frisk, a stand-up comedian who is somewhat of a stereotype of the struggling anti-hero; a bad father who forgets to pick up his young daughter from his ex-wife, with a landlord constantly chasing him for unpaid rent and an agent who believes he can make it big despite his post-gig cocaine and alcohol binges. Just as his agent organises a very important gig for him, he bumps into an old school friend, Frank. Frank reminds Joey of their boarding school days, which Joey has no recollection of and is not interested in remembering. Frank's memory on the other hand is very clear and he is quickly reappearing at all of Joey's gigs, keen to strike up a friendship. We soon realise that Frank the friendly stalker, is actually an ex SAS sociopath who frames Joey in order to blackmail him into attending quite a sinister school 'reunion'.

Although the film is often cliched it is also genuinely funny, particularly during Joey's comedy routines some of which were improvised during filming. It is however, Stephen McCole, who plays Joey, that really makes the film. McCole is excellent as the cocaine addicted comedian and the supporting cast are also very convincing.

The revenge plot of the film is not exactly original, however as the director pointed out in the Q&A it does have an interesting approach to the idea of memory which initiates the revenge. One character has memories which are much too clear causing him to live in the past, another has erased all his memories so that he can look to the future, while the third is stuck in the present with no former memories and unable to form any new ones. Considering its half a million pound budget, the film and cast do as well as they can with a not so original idea.