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The Opening Act
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Indie about aspiring stand-up comic is both sweet and salty.
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The Opening Act
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What's the Story?
In THE OPENING ACT, Will (Jimmy O. Yang) has grown up watching stand-up comedy with his father and now dreams of becoming a comic himself. But he's reached a standstill performing open mic nights, unable to move up. When his friend Quinn (Ken Jeong) offers him the chance to emcee a big-time show, Will quits his awful job in an insurance firm, risking everything on this one shot. Even better, his hero, Billy G (Cedric the Entertainer), is the headliner. But Will is paired for the weekend with warm-up act Chris (Alex Moffat), who likes to party and pick up women, and Will immediately stumbles into some bad luck and loses his confidence. Can he get it back before Sunday night, or will he give up on his dream?
Is It Any Good?
This indie drama features several comedians in roles of all kinds, but, oddly, it has very few laughs; still, it works in its own quiet way, with touching characters and a fascinating setting. Comedian Steve Byrne makes his feature writing and directing debut with The Opening Act, and it's a refreshingly simple story about whether or not to give up on your dream. In the lead role, Yang has a sweet presence -- perhaps a little too sweet to handle zany situations like being trapped under a cop's girlfriend's trailer or accidentally taking the last chocolate eclair belonging to a local DJ.
When it's not trying too hard with ridiculous asides like those, The Opening Act really captures a realistic feeling of what it might be like to work in a club. Comics are either very specific about their introductions or very vague ("from clubs and colleges"), and we learn never to try out new jokes on a Saturday night. Other comics, from SNL's Moffat to veteran stand-ups like Cedric, Jeong, Whitney Cummings, and others, perform their bits as if they were at work, on the job, and not concerned about making the movie's viewers laugh, which makes them more human. Bill Burr may have the best shot at tickling funnybones -- not as a comedian, but in the silly role of Will's awful boss, spouting inspirational quotes and leaving the last word blank.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Opening Act's sexual references and sex acts. Why do you think sex is so often played for humor?
How is alcohol depicted? Is it meant to look cool or fun? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Does Will get discouraged from following his dream? What kinds of things does he do or try to keep going? Have you ever been discouraged?
What positive character representations did you notice in the film? What about stereotypes?
What is a comedian's job like? Does the movie make it look like fun? Is it also hard work?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: December 15, 2020
- Cast: Jimmy O. Yang , Cedric the Entertainer , Ken Jeong
- Director: Steve Byrne
- Inclusion Information: Black actors, Asian actors
- Studio: RLJE Films
- Genre: Comedy
- Run time: 90 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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