The Jimmy Show

Starring, written and directed by Frank Whaley, "The Jimmy Show" (with two other significant actors - Carla Gugino and Ethan Hawke) is a story of a wannabee stand up comedian. He has his dreams, and like most dreams, real life gets in the way. Still, Jimmy doesn't give up his desire to be a funny man standing on a spotlit stage in front of appreciative people. What is he willing to trade away for his dream? Does he understand what making a dream materialize entails? Will others support him? Let me put it this way: I GUARANTEE that you will feel better about your life, by watching "The Jimmy Show". This is an extremely focused, linear, painful story about an awkward, rationalizing, self-defeating man who threatens to pull everyone nearby under with him. There's not a single laugh in this story of comedian dreamer. Frank Whaley carries the story on his shoulders, and does a fantastic job. Gugino is also strong. Hawke does what he does well.

what a depressing film this was! frank whaley stars as jim, a guy who finds himself narrating his his dwindling life saga to a near-empty room of strangers at each open mic night in a small town new jersey bar. he almost forces the crowd to listen to how each day seems as bad as the one before, with him getting fired from his job, his wife divorcing him, or having to care for his ill mother (although that doesn't seem to both him as much).

i have always enjoyed frank whaley in comedy (although he does almost none of that anymore) but this does not really qualify as comedy, no matter how dark or satirical. although, there is one scene in the movie where jim is working at swamie hots, an Indian fast food place, where you get a little comedic shine on an otherwise horribly depressing film.

I think "depressing" is definitely the best word for this movie. After seeing it once, I was not only saddened, but downright angry that anyone would make a movie that made me feel this way.

After masochistically making myself see it again, I grew to appreciate it somewhat more. The fact is, the movie does what it does very well; unfortunately, what it does is show us the story of a man whose life just outright sucks. He's a terrible comedian who can't say anything funny, he's a slightly alcoholic husband who can't support his family, and he's a lousy worker in a lousy job who can't make ends meet. The only person Jimmy sticks by is his grandmother, who ironically is the source of many of the disasters in his life.

In summary, I have to say it's a well made movie, but if you watch it, be prepared to be uncomfortable with life for a while.

Frank Whaley gave it his directorial all in this one as in "Joe the King". He has a unique voice among the other modern day quills of his medium.

This one though, will leave you with a personal malaise. Desolation and reality have now been given gravity with this picture. It's equally depressing that his instincts have drug him in this direction.

View at your own risk.

I saw"The Jimmy Show" at a screening at the American Film Market 2002 last week and, while it contains home truths about life in suburban America, I found it heavy going. The producers call it a bitter-sweet love story but to me it was more bitter than sweet. Its big problem lies in its lack of an underlying vein of hope and optimism so often necessary in a story of this genre.

Jimmy O'Brien describes himself as "young, fresh and angry" but is in reality a born loser with sticky fingers. Holding down a supermarket dead end job by the skin of his teeth, he has aspirations as a standup comedian. Every Tuesday on open-mike night at The Laughing Stock comedy club, he dies on stage at the hands of a tough, no-smiling audience but this is nothing compared with what is happening inside Jimmy. He is slowing strangling on his own lack of initiative, ambition and basic social graces. Thrown out of his market job for stealing cases of beer, he continues along a seemingly downward path without benefit of humorous relief.

Frank Whaley wrote the screenplay, directed, and plays the role of Jimmy, and when such vital chores are taken on by one man, I can't help thinking the movie has more than the usual biographical aspects and should more accurately have been called "The Frank Show". In supporting roles, Carla Cugino as his long-suffering wife and Ethan Hawke as his co-worker provide adequate performances.

Not recommended for those in search of a feel-good movie.