Funny Pages

R

Released Aug 26, 2022

1 hr. 26 min.

Comedy

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List

82%

104 Reviews

Tomatometer

50%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

A bitingly funny coming-of-age story of a teenage cartoonist who rejects the comforts of his suburban life in a misguided quest for soul.

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Premiered Apr 02

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Critics Consensus

It won't be for all tastes, but Funny Pages deserves credit for telling a coming-of-age story that leans heavier on cringe comedy than nostalgia.

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brad s

Original movie, Great characters, great scenes, worth watching. Don't go by the reviews

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/12/22

Full Review

geribarth

Very original, very different. Goes into directions one never expects. It’s not an easy, pleasant movie but that’s part of what makes it great: its courage to be real and honest

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/04/22

Full Review

Jason R

I've seen both American Splendor and Crumb and found them well done but decidedly odd - I'm not sure a film that recalls them both is going to be all that enjoyable, but let's see shall we. Hmmm. The film basically follows Robert (Daniel Zolghadri) a keen graphic artist who drops out of school following the death of his art-teacher mentor and attempts to find his way in the world, maybe with a view to working in comics - but without really having a plan as to how to do so. He doesn't half meet some strange characters in the process though. And most of them are not exactly likeable oddballs and in that way do they feel characters out of American Splendor or Crumb. It also has a very strange film style with a lot of big heads in close-up which I also guess is aimed at being reminiscent of comics, but it just feels odd. I'd have to say that as well as Robert not really having a plan for his future, whilst watching this film I wasn't convinced the director did either - it meanders from bizarre episode to bizarre episode including a naked man standing on a desk, throwing a rubber horse at a pharmacist, someone getting stabbed in the head with a pen and a car driving through a garage door (and don't worry, these don't spoil anything for you). And after all this it ends in a bizarre, understated manner where it looks like Robert is just considering all that's happened to him - I suspect the impression we're supposed to get is that this is all fuel for the artistic fire, but I'd have to say I'm not 100% certain. As far as I can tell Daniel does a good job as Robert - the whole performance is a bit ramshackle but you can't help but think that's the general idea. Matthew Maher also gets a namecheck in his role as Wallace who is, it's fair to say, an utter headcase - you get the impression the rest of the cast do what they're told to, but it's all very odd. I'm also going to call out Ron Rifkin in a very tiny role - I knew I knew him from somewhere but had to check Wikipedia to remind myself he was Arvin Sloane in Alias (which I really enjoyed) for 103 episodes and he also did 95 episodes of Brothers And Sisters. The director Owen Kline (Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates's son) spent six years writing, directing and editing the film - and Daniel certainly ages a few years throughout the film. The character Robert first appeared in a comic he wrote and I guess he just decided to somewhat extend matters. It very much feels like a labour of love whilst he ploughs his own furrow and for that I have to admire him. In keeping with the story and acting, the film style is very odd too - the picture quality makes it look very like it was found footage from the late 60s or early 70s. However, I do have to argue with The Guardian's description of this being a "deliciously dark coming-of-age comedy" - it is dark, but it certainly ain't delicious. And what it definitely isn't is a comedy - there's lots of "funny" behaviour but I don't actually remember laughing at any of it. Several of the scenarios have potential for humour, but it's all played so, so bizarrely it's almost as though the director was being contrarily obtuse - "go on, laugh at this then". I do think that if you're a fan of Harvey Pekar or Robert Crumb's style then you're more likely to enjoy this than anyone else - if you're not sure if you're a fan of them then I suspect you can probably take it as read that you won't. I admire the effort that had gone into making this, but I just found the whole thing too bizarre for my (often quite bizarre, but obviously not bizarre enough) tastes. If that massive recommendation doesn't put you off, then it's available to stream on Curzon (you've got that, right?) or to rent on all the other more normal channels.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/28/23

Full Review

Mark R

A few amusing parts but a pretty weak movie over all. It ends and can't help but think "is that it?"

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/14/23

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nefasto r

Off-kilter from start to bottom, enjoyable and very nerdy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

john b

I love a lot of A24 movies and indie movies about or based on comic books (Ghost World, Art School Confidential, Wilson…) but this was a letdown. It has the quirks and weirdness of other indie comic movies but lacks charm. I definitely laughed out loud at times but in part because of the absurdity and grotesqueness. The acting and character studies are what kept it interesting for me but I wouldn't really recommend unless you're a bit comic book fan and enjoy dark humor and cynicism.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Owen Kline

Director

Daniel Zolghadri

Robert

Matt Maher

Wallace

Miles Emanuel

Miles

Maria Dizzia

Jennifer

Josh Pais

Lewis

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Funny Pages: Trailer 1

2:25

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Jordan Hoffman

AV Club

Funny Pages understands that being truly committed to comics, the lowest form in all the arts (except for performance poetry, of course), is an express ticket to a life of social misery and alienation.

Oct 19, 2022

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

What an auspicious debut for Kline and what a fine showcase for all other parties.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 23, 2022

Full Review

Linda Marric

The Jewish Chronicle

Zolghadri carries the film with the kind of self assured nonchalance rarely seen on screen. His character’s wide-eyed optimism, although clearly misguided, is both infectious and genuinely awe-inspiring.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 20, 2022

Full Review

Hector A. Gonzalez

Loud and Clear Reviews

The grittiness of Sean Price Williams’ cinematography and atmosphere carries Owen Kline’s Funny Pages, but the rest falters – a coming-of-age feature lacking focus, coherence, and laughter.

Rated: 2.5/5

Jan 4, 2024

Full Review

Stephanie Bunbury

Deadline Hollywood Daily

How unpleasant this all is, from beginning to end, without being actually funny. This film will find its constituency, for sure.

Sep 21, 2023

Full Review

Jared Mobarak

Hey, Have You Seen ...?

It brings the lewd scenarios of those "funnies" to life in all their grotesque splendor, placing the extreme nature of the gags above narrative from frame number one. So, while it doesn't completely work for me, I do applaud the boldness.

Rated: 6/10

Jan 20, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

A bitingly funny coming-of-age story of a teenage cartoonist who rejects the comforts of his suburban life in a misguided quest for soul.

Director: Owen Kline
Screenwriter: Owen Kline
Distributor: A24
Production Co: Elara Pictures
Rating: R (Graphic Nudity|Crude Sexual Content|Brief Violent Images|Language)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 26, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2022
Box Office (Gross USA): $49.0K
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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