Crying with Laughter

A coked-up, alcoholic narcissist making money by catering his stand-up 'shtick' to his like-minded contemporaries in dimly lit bars like the Bull Pit personifies our protagonist, Joey Frisk, at least to the eye. This comedian was behind in child support and rent, and and just came off as a making it day-to-day, near-do-well, who-cares kind of chap. Consequently, when he once again began his disgusting hyperbole regarding some woman, I felt like shutting this down, and then… WOW! Frank began his magic!

Justin Molotnikov, Writer and Director, methodically paced Frank's character to move this piece along like a thriller ought to move. Indeed, we got to know at least the facade of the two main characters fairly well and then, like a train that hits a long 7% grade, we watch the whole thing unfold in a manner which cannot be stopped.

The subject matter is dark; the things we do to ourselves and others in order to survive make us, at times, walking talking paradoxes and that is what Joey had become. But, will he grow to be as dangerous as Frank? Malcom Shields and Stephen McCole are exceptional!!! Included: Bawdiness, humor, drama, thrills, depth of character, redemption. 10/06/2010

I am a professional screenwriter, and when I see something brilliant, I find myself thinking, "Gee, I wish I'd written that script." I just saw this at the EIFF and had those exact thoughts. A brilliant script, directed well by the writer, and it looks like his first feature. A gripping tale that is entertaining, funny, and thought provoking. The R rating it will receive is both necessary and appropriate -- even though I'm not a fan of R movies, I am a fan of this one. Great message, to boot, but never heavy handed or on the nose. I hope this gets wide distribution -- it deserves it. Only distraction for me is that the Scots accents are quite strong and may not sit well with American audiences who don't have the ear for it. Perhaps it will need subtitles for that crowd -- hah! Great acting, BTW. A solid, different, great film. yh

An intense dark comedy set in Edinburgh, Scotland, Crying with Laughter is the brainchild of writer/director Justin Molotnikov and stars Stephen McCole (The Acid House) as a cocaine snorting stand-up comedian on the verge of his first big break. The film opens with his character, Joey Frisk, practicing his routine on Portobello Beach, belting booze and shouting at the waves as if they were a rowdy comedy-club crowd. His act is a hit, with wry humour and jabs at a willing audience, but after he bumps into an old school friend while kicking back in a sauna, things start to get creepy.

Frank, played to the hilt by Malcolm Shields, spots Joey and introduces himself with enthusiasm, reminding him of the time Joey drunkenly burnt down a schoolmaster's office for a laugh and wound-up being sent to a borstal (a cross between a school and a prison in the UK, thankfully the project was abandoned in 1982). That night Joey tells the anecdote to his audience, making fun of Frank's attempt at conversation, "One thing you just don't do in a sauna is make chat, it's a room full of half naked men for crying out loud!" is his take on things. Of course Frank is in the audience and Joey has to eat humble pie as he's introduced to Frank's girl. Joey gets drunk and wakes up in bed, post threesome, with two of his comedy club mates. The day goes from weird to worse and eventually he's kicked out of his flat and, after getting hammered again that night and is arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm for apparently attacking his landlord, something he can't recall, and seems unlikely to us, the audience. During the police line-up we see Frank again, pointing the finger at Joey from behind the one way glass. Joey doesn't have a clue.

Homeless and desperate, Joey phones everyone he can think of to find a couch or room to crash in, but only Frank answers his cry and happily puts him up in the spare room of his expensive, inherited house. From here the game begins proper as Joey is manipulated and emotionally blackmailed into attending a mysterious 'Reunion' at their old schoolhouse. Stopping off at an old-folks-home run by a dope smoking goon, the ex-military and increasingly sociopathic Frank kidnaps the above mentioned schoolmaster, now suffering from senile dementia and putting up little resistance. Joey is horrified but Frank holds the cards with a threat to Jo's daughter and ex-wife. What's Frank planning? What's Joey and Frank's connection to the old schoolmaster? All the dirty laundry comes out in a powerful third act, which involves brutal, violent torture and a confession of the unthinkable.

Set in and around Edinburgh, Molotnikov uses the location to his advantage, with its winding streets and alleys, lush architecture and seedy drug and booze culture. Thrillers like this are rare, promising and delivering on shocking exposition and an intense atmosphere; it's a great little gem. The technique of punctuating chapters of the film with Joey's final stand-up routine, which is a tell-all story of what's happened in the film, works well and the acting and direction are excellent all round. Shields stands-out, as he exudes a thinly veiled menace which he masks with earnest enthusiasm and innocence, and in the end we're almost on his side after revelations about the real villain of the piece.

Keep an eye out for this one.

A shambolic stand up comic Joey Fisk (a terrific Stephen McCole in a welcome lead role) meets an acquaintance from his school days Frank Archer (an understated Malcolm Shields) whose attentions have a sinister ulterior motive.

It's hard enough to do a comedy or a really good thriller with genuine shocks but to combine them both without diminishing either is a real accomplishment from writer/director Justin Molotnikov.

It's great to see a whole cast of Scottish faces that are new to the big screen.

Here's hoping it gets a good distribution deal.

'Crying With Laughter' is certainly a film that won't be for everyone. It's meant to be as tragic as it is funny. Stephen McCole plays a club circuit comedian, Joey Frisk, who is looking for his 'big break' while also succumbing to the excesses that come with even his minor 'showbiz lifestyle.' He's the very definition of an 'anti-hero' - someone who is completely flawed and doesn't always do the right thing and yet we can relate to him and root for him to overcome his demons in order to better himself.

During the film, Joey has to face all sorts of physical and mental horrors from his past, not to mention battling the effects such torment has had on his present day situation. However, don't expect too much 'happy-happy' comedy. The funny moments come with seeing the clips of his stand-up comedy and we - the audience - knowing how he bases his real life events on what goes into his act

The film does delve into some pretty dark places (and subject matter), so you'll need to be ready for it not to pull any punches. Also, there's a fair amount of bad language - both in and out of the stand-up routines, so this can hardly be described as a 'family film.'

I'm trying to be as vague as possible when it comes to the plot, as I don't want to spoil it for everyone. All I'll say is that you'll need to be in the mood for a strong, character-driven piece with plenty of adult content. It could be average, but, as with a one-man stand-up show, its strength lies with Stephen McCole himself, whose portrayal of a flawed man who you really do want to succeed makes you want to root for him all the way.

The old phrase 'tears of a clown' has never been more applicable when it comes to this film. Expect to laugh at him and also - hopefully - cheer for him. Uplifting... in a weird sort of way.