Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution

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Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution

2024

1h 40m

Documentary

LGBTQ+

Comedy

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100%

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8 Reviews

80%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution is the first feature length documentary to explore the history of queer stand up comedy. The documentary considers the importance of LGBTQ+ stand up as a driver of social change over the past five decades, actively reflecting and challenging cultural norms and values. Ultimately, the film reveals that queer comedians -- whether they intended to or not -- helped change the world, one joke at a time.

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Don Aucoin

Boston Globe

If you doubt that representation matters all that much, watch “Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution.”

Sep 3, 2024

Full Review

David Rooney

The Hollywood Reporter

Outstanding makes a persuasive, highly entertaining case that the evolution of queer comedy is inextricably bound to broader developments in representation, and that emerging next-gen queer comics could learn a lot from their forebears.

Jun 19, 2024

Full Review

Chris Azzopardi

New York Times

Hurwitz examines comedy’s place in the L.G.B.T.Q. movement in... “Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution,” creating a rich, century-long timeline full of archival footage, behind-the-scenes glimpses and candid interviews with comedians.

Jun 18, 2024

Full Review

Tim Miller

Cape Cod Wave Magazine

Highlights include a rare, controversial clip of Richard Pryor confronting a gay audience and a look at the career of Robin Tyler, the first lesbian or gay comic to come out on national TV.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 17, 2024

Full Review

Robert W. Butler

Butler's Cinema Scene

Some of the artists featured here are worthy of stand-alone documentary treatment. But the omnibus approach taken by Hurwitz provides an effective look at the variety and breadth of gay comedy… and whets the viewer’s appetite for more.

Rated: B

Jul 11, 2024

Full Review

Sean L. McCarthy

Decider

One of the great things about making this documentary is that it allows writer/director Page Hurwitz to rectify some of the snubs and oversights that didn’t or couldn’t make the cut in Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration.

Jun 26, 2024

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Zach W

Great documentary about amazing trailblazers who deserve to be spotlighted. Such powerful messages throughout.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/30/24

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Page Hurwitz

Director

Tig Notaro

Self

Sandra Bernhard

Self

Suzy Eddie Izzard

Self

Page Hurwitz

Writer

Colin Devenish

Producer

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Synopsis

Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution is the first feature length documentary to explore the history of queer stand up comedy. The documentary considers the importance of LGBTQ+ stand up as a driver of social change over the past five decades, actively reflecting and challenging cultural norms and values. Ultimately, the film reveals that queer comedians -- whether they intended to or not -- helped change the world, one joke at a time.

Director: Page Hurwitz
Producer: Colin Devenish, Lisa Singer Haese, Sharon Houston
Screenwriter: Page Hurwitz
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Push It Productions, Brian Graden Media
Genre: Documentary, LGBTQ+, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 18, 2024
Runtime: 1h 40m

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