#billburr

The King of Staten Island is (appropriately) like a really bad tattoo. You laugh long and hard but there's a smidge of sadness in there too. Even without doing any research, you can tell at least one of the writers (in this case, Pete Davidson) is drawing from experience.

24-year-old high school dropout Scott Carlin (Davidson) still lives with his mother, is unemployed, and spends most of his time wallowing through his neurosis or smoking marijuana. He dreams of opening a combination tattoo parlor/restaurant and hones his skills by inking his friends – Igor (Moisés Arias), Oscar (Ricky Velez), and Richie (Lou Wilson). When his mother (Marisa Tomei) begins dating Ray (Bill Burr), a firefighter - like his deceased father - he finally begins piecing his life together.

At 136 minutes, the movie's too long. Several scenes contain the perfect amount of absurdity while remaining believable but ultimately aren’t necessary. You can see why Apatow decided to keep them, nonetheless. Something is very wrong with Scott. He claims everything from his lack of education to his ADHD is holding him back. You know the real culprit is his grief. He says he’s too stupid to grow up but that’s not true. His friends are morons but he isn’t. You can tell from his constant flow of witty remarks and from key decisions that he does know better.

This comedy tells its jokes subtly. Characters talk casually and then insert razor-sharp comebacks, comical exaggerations, or remarks into the conversation. They surprise you every time. Scott is always on the edge of doing something so bad no one could ever forgive him… but he doesn’t. The walking catastrophe draws out a maternal instinct in you. You want Scott to grow up. You worry about where life will take him. You also can’t help but take a step back and laugh. Only he could get himself in these situations.

At times the film does cross the line by a toe. If we keep going with the tattoo metaphor, a bad one is funny with a hint of sadness but only in limited quantities. It may be cathartic to see people suffer the consequences of their actions but sometimes you also need to get slapped across the face.

The King of Staten Island owes so much of its success to Pete Davidson. The picture is full of actors and actresses who bring their roles to life like their destinies depended on it. Bel Powley as the woman Scott is going to lose if he isn’t careful, Steve Buscemi as a mentor, Bill Burr as the man Scott’s mother is falling for, Maude Apatow as Scott’s younger sister, Tomei as his mom. They’re all so good but Davidson takes this man-child that you could’ve so easily hated and makes him into a real person. There are points where “The King of Staten Island” almost becomes a parody and it's too long. It's also heartfelt and hilarious. (October 7, 2020)

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