“Entertainment 2015” follows a struggling comedian on a surreal and introspective journey through the Californian desert. He confronts the emptiness of his life and grapples with the absurdity of existence as he travels from one small town to another amidst a backdrop of strange characters and unsettling landscapes. The film is a darkly comic meditation on the nature of entertainment, alienation, and the human condition.
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Review
The Power of Vulnerability in the Absurd World of “Entertainment”
It’s hard to describe “Entertainment” without using words like bizarre, surreal, or even grotesque, but that would miss the point. This movie is not trying to entertain you in any conventional sense, nor is it interested in offering a coherent plot or relatable characters. Instead, it’s a meditation on the incongruities of identity, desire, and performance in our hyper-mediated culture, told through the lens of a stand-up comedian (Gregg Turkington) who tours through desolate towns and prisons in California.
Yet, don’t let this summary discourage you from watching “Entertainment” (if you haven’t already), as it’s also an intensely humanistic work that rewards patience and empathy. To fully appreciate its merits and quirks, let’s explore some aspects of the movie that I found illuminating and thought-provoking.
1. Storyline
The movie opens with a montage of landscapes (desert, mountains, ocean) scored to ominous music. We see The Comedian driving his car to his next gig while listening to motivational tapes about confidence and success. His first show is at a dingy bar where he performs his absurdist jokes to an indifferent crowd that prefers karaoke. He then travels to other venues where he faces varied challenges: hecklers, apathy, hostile rooms full of prisoners or sailors.
2. News
“Entertainment” was released in 2015 by director Rick Alverson (who co-wrote it with Turkington), after premiering at Sundance Film Festival. It received mixed reviews from critics and audiences but gained cult status for its uncompromising vision.
3. Plot
There is no linear plot to speak of in “Entertainment”, only a series of vignettes that share similar motifs and themes: alienation, disillusionment, masculinity, identity. The Comedian is not a likable or sympathetic character, but he’s also not a villain. He’s more like a lost soul who tries to connect with others through his art but often fails or sabotages himself.
4. Fact
The Comedian is loosely based on Turkington’s real-life persona, Neil Hamburger, who is also an absurdist comedian known for his anti-comedy style and bizarre performances. However, “Entertainment” is not a biopic or even a mockumentary; it’s a metafiction that blurs the boundaries between reality and fiction.
5. Casts
Aside from Turkington, the movie features a diverse cast of cameos and supporting roles, such as John C. Reilly as The Comedian’s cousin, Amy Seimetz as his estranged daughter, Tye Sheridan as a misguided fan, Michael Cera as a petulant actor, and Dean Stockwell as an enigmatic figure.
6. Quote
One of the most memorable lines in the movie comes from a prison guard who tells The Comedian: “You’re entertaining them because they can’t afford to leave.” This sentence encapsulates the bleakness and irony of the movie’s premise: that entertainment is both an escape and a trap for those who consume it.
7. Acting and Characters
Turkington delivers an impressive performance as The Comedian, balancing deadpan delivery with subtle gestures that hint at his inner turmoil. Although he rarely smiles or interacts with other characters in meaningful ways, he conveys a sense of vulnerability and desperation that makes him intriguing to watch (if not always enjoyable). The other actors also excel in their brief appearances, adding texture and nuance to the world of “Entertainment”.
8. History
“Entertainment” belongs to a tradition of underground movies that challenge mainstream sensibilities through unconventional forms and styles. Its influences include avant-garde filmmakers like David Lynch, Samuel Beckett, and Luis Buñuel, as well as comedians like Andy Kaufman and Tony Clifton. However, “Entertainment” is not just a derivative or homage; it’s a unique voice that speaks to our time and place.
9. Score and Popularity
The score of “Entertainment” is composed by composer Robert Donne and matches the eerie mood of the visuals. Although the movie didn’t achieve commercial or critical success upon its initial release, it has since gained a devoted fanbase that appreciates its idiosyncrasies and honesty.
10. Filming
The cinematography of “Entertainment” is both stark and beautiful, capturing the desolate landscapes of California with precise framing and lighting. The camera often lingers on empty spaces or faces with minimal dialogue or movement, conveying a sense of stillness that contrasts with the chaos or violence that sometimes erupts.
11. Evaluation
It’s hard to evaluate “Entertainment” from a traditional standpoint, as it defies many norms of narrative cinema. However, if we approach it as an experiment in form and content, we can appreciate how it challenges our assumptions about what constitutes art or entertainment. It also invites us to confront our own desires for validation or recognition through The Comedian’s failures and frustrations.
12. Awards
Although “Entertainment” didn’t receive any major awards or nominations, it did win some accolades from smaller festivals and critics’ circles.
13. Cinematography
The cinematographer for “Entertainment” was Lorenzo Hagerman who has worked on several other notable films such as “Elysium” (2013) and “Insidious: Chapter 2” (2013).
14. Opinion
Opinions about “Entertainment” are bound to vary widely depending on one’s taste for avant-garde cinema, experimental comedy, or existential themes. Some may find the movie tedious, pretentious, or even offensive, while others may appreciate its subversive take on the American Dream and the human condition.
15. Scenes
It’s hard to pick a standout scene in “Entertainment” since the movie is not structured as a series of set-pieces. However, some moments that stayed with me include The Comedian’s interaction with a creepy fan who wants him to sign his tattooed arm, his encounter with a lonely woman who mistakes him for her son’s father, and his surreal trip to a rock formation where he imagines himself as a cowboy.
16. Gossip
There is no scandal or gossip surrounding “Entertainment”, but some trivia includes that Turkington and Alverson had previously worked together in another oddball movie called “The Comedy” (2012).
17. Soundtracks
Aside from Donne’s score, “Entertainment” features some eclectic songs and sounds that underline its offbeat mood. These include tracks from Ennio Morricone, Canned Heat, and The Carpenters.
18. Analysis
One way to analyze “Entertainment” is to see it as an allegory of the postmodern condition, where identity is fragmented, desire is insatiable, and reality is mediated by screens and fantasies. In this view, The Comedian represents both the artist who tries to create meaning out of chaos and the consumer who seeks distraction from boredom or misery.
19. Special Effects
There are no special effects in “Entertainment”, except for some minimal use of filters or distortions that enhance certain scenes’ surrealness.
20. Development
The development process of “Entertainment” started when Alverson approached Turkington with an idea about making a movie about a stand-up comedian who performs in places where nobody cares about comedy. They worked on the script for several years while also collaborating on music videos and commercials.
21. Dialogue
Although the dialogue in “Entertainment” is sparse and often repetitive, it reveals much about The Comedian’s mindset and worldview. He talks to himself or to strangers about topics such as God, sex, death, fame, and loneliness, sprinkled with profanity or nonsensical phrases.
22. Crews
The crew of “Entertainment” was composed of seasoned professionals who brought their expertise in cinematography, editing, sound design, and production design to create a cohesive aesthetic that supports the movie’s themes and tone.
23. Criticism
Some critics have criticized “Entertainment” for being too self-indulgent or obscure, lacking a clear message or even coherence. Others have praised it for being audacious and challenging in its exploration of alienation and absurdity.
24. Production
The production of “Entertainment” was low-budget but ambitious, as the filmmakers had to shoot in various locations under difficult conditions. They also had to navigate the legal issues surrounding filming inside prisons and military bases.
25. Editing
The editing of “Entertainment” is crucial in shaping the movie’s pace and rhythm, as well as its emotional impact. The cuts are often abrupt or elliptical, creating a sense of disorientation that matches The Comedian’s own state of mind.
In conclusion, “Entertainment” is not a movie for everyone nor is it trying to be. It’s an unusual hybrid of comedy and drama that explores the dark corners of our psyche with wit and insight. If you’re willing to embrace its unorthodox style and themes, you may find yourself laughing at things you never thought were funny before or feeling moved by moments that defy explanation. At its core lies the vulnerability that Brown espouses: the willingness to expose yourself to uncertainty, discomfort, and failure in pursuit of authenticity. And isn’t that what we all crave deep down?
Technical Data
- Release : 2015-08-11
- Runtime : 113
- Genre : Drama, Comedy
- Cast : Gregg Turkington as The Comedian, Tye Sheridan as Eddie The Mime, John C. Reilly as John, Lotte Verbeek as The Chromotherapist, Dean Stockwell as Frank
- Crew : Tim Heidecker as Writer, Michael Taylor as Editor, Dawn Krantz as Producer, Lorenzo Hagerman as Director of Photography, Brooke Bernard as Producer
- Revenue : 0
- Budget : 0
- Company : Jagjaguwar, The Made Bed Productions, Nomadic Independence Pictures
- Popularity : 5.076
- Summary : Set in the Mojave Desert, the film follows a broken-down comedian playing clubs across the Southwest, working his way to Los Angeles to meet his estranged daughter.
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