At a time when movie theaters around the world are closed, The King of Staten Island altered its theatrical release schedule, with distributor Universal Pictures instead opting to debut the movie via on-demand rental. It becomes the first live-action movie from Universal to utilize this release strategy, but their second overall following the record-breaking debut of Trolls World Tour. The King of Staten Island is a much different kind of movie, with Pete Davidson starring as a twenty-something aspiring tattoo artist who’s still living at home, dealing with the trauma of losing his father at a young age, and struggling to move forward with his life. Davidson is a triumph in The King of Staten Island, delivering plenty of fun R-rated humor in an emotionally compelling story about growing up.
Davidson stars in the semi-autobiographical drama – which he co-wrote with director Judd Apatow (Trainwreck, Knocked Up) and Dave Sirus (Saturday Night Live) – as Scott, a 24-year-old who still lives at home with his mother, Marjorie (Marisa Tomei). When his younger sister Nell (Maude Apatow) leaves for college and his mom starts dating firefighter Ray (Bill Burr), Scott is forced to confront the unresolved issues of his father dying when Scott was young. Though Scott and Ray don’t get along, it’s only through Ray and his fellow firefighters, like firehouse leader Papa (Steve Buscemi), that Scott learns more about his father, a firefighter who died in the line of duty. As he starts to truly deal with his grief, Scott begins to really grow up.
In The King of Staten Island, Davidson, Apatow and Sirus manage to craft a smart coming of age tale fit for the millennial generation. Much of the film comes across as a slice of life story, with Scott wandering through the movie just as he does his own life, but that lackadaisical approach is clearly intentional as a reflection of Davidson’s character. When Scott begins to take his life more seriously, the movie more closely resembles a tightly plotted drama. The King of Staten Island’s story structure, or the seeming lack thereof, belies the skill and craft it takes to make such an approach work without detracting from the core character story. Davidson and his co-writers deftly construct a story arc out of seemingly random events in a way that propels Scott forward until he reaches a satisfying ending point. This interweaving of plot and character is The King of Staten Island’s biggest strength, immersing viewers in Scott’s world and delivering a compelling narrative.
Perhaps the biggest reason The King of Staten Island works so well is it’s clearly a labor of love for Davidson, who’s put so much of himself into the film it can be difficult at times to discern where Davidson ends and Scott begins. To his credit, Davidson never shies away from the vulnerability needed to make this kind of story compelling. It’s not an egotistic showcase of his comedy skill, it’s a deeply personal exploration of his own grief for his father as well as the resulting relationship with his mother and struggles in life. Certainly, in playing a character so similar to himself, Davidson could have become a caricature of himself, but the fact that Scott feels so close to Davidson’s true self only benefits the realism of The King of Staten Island. It further helps that Davidson is surrounded by a cast of Hollywood veterans, with Tomei and Burr both delivering grounding performances as the parental figures in Scott’s life. Buscemi, too, offers a scene-stealing performance, working excellently opposite Davidson to bring some emotional weight to the story. So while The King of Staten Island is Davidson’s starring vehicle and he excels in the role, he’s bolstered by the ingenious performances of his co-stars.
Ultimately, The King of Staten Island is a wonderfully charming comedy, showcasing both Davidson and Apataow’s comedic sensibilities, as well as a truly fascinating look into psyche of a seemingly aimless twenty-something. The laid-back nature of the story structure can be a little frustrating at times, with the movie taking a little while to truly get going, but for the most part The King of Staten Island uses all two hours and 16 minutes of its runtime smartly, so that viewers don’t feel the movie is overlong. Davidson tells his story and he tells it well, delivering a captivating performance that will offer viewers insight into the deepest, darkest reaches of his mind.
As such, The King of Staten Island is a must-watch for fans of Davidson, as well as those who may not be fans but who are interested in the comedian’s life. The movie is also excellent viewing for fans of Apatow, whose experience is evident in the way The King of Staten Island deftly channels Davidson’s more chaotic nature into a cohesive film. In the end, it’s worth checking out for anyone even remotely interested in the movie. Since it’s a new release at a time when there aren’t many new movies to watch, The King of Staten Island may benefit from an on-demand debut. Viewers stuck at home won’t go wrong with The King of Staten Island – a dramedy that delivers both laugh-out-loud comedy and entertaining drama.
The King of Staten Island is now available on demand. It is 136 minutes long and rated R for language and drug use throughout, sexual content and some violence/bloody images.
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Key Release Dates
The King of Staten Island
Release Date:2020-06-12
