King of Staten Island

The King of Staten Island is a comedy/drama about a boy who is no good, stuck in stasis after the death of his father, and the trail of destruction he leaves in his wake because he can't handle it. When another firefighter attacks his mom, it's time to deal with all those repressed emotions and embrace a new future. Scott Carlin (Pete Davidson) is a weed-smoking slacker with mild aspirations to someday become a tattoo artist, but is content to have a big one. spends part of his time with friends. While he may joke about the tattoo on his arm that depicts the date of his firefighter father's death, he realizes he has problems he needs to deal with.

As Scott tries to get closer to Ray, he learns more about the kind of man his father was, which leads him to a new sense of appreciation for humanity. Meanwhile, he tries to mend his strained relationship with his girlfriend Kelsey (Bel Powley), who wants more than a secret relationship for the rest of her life. Writer/director Judd Apatow (Trainwreck, Knocked Up) once again showcases his hyper-realistic stoner comedy genre that he's perfected over the years. While there's nothing wrong with the job, watching another one of his films is like ordering a certain dish at a restaurant because it's a decent and safe choice. The characters are so familiar that it feels like they've come home for a visit, which can be both a strength and a weakness. Co-writer Davidson isn't the first Saturday Night Live alum to star in a movie as a child, but he takes this comedic role very seriously. Despite his own inability to play anyone but himself, his story and presence are interesting enough to hold attention, while the people interacting with him are consistently funny. Lacking a clear direction, this film's overdeveloped heart wanders. seemingly trying too hard to prove that this isn't just a silly comedy that could have been a better direction for the film. But organic laughter is there, and it rarely comes at the expense of others. The drama is also solid, providing the foundation for a storyline that offers no surprises. Any main character without strong convictions is a recipe for plot failure, but The King of Staten Island delivers. There are enough interesting cameos, jokes, and side characters to make it work, albeit with difficulty. Eventually, the yawn-inducing runtime is constantly interrupted by magic. One-liners and awkward humor enliven this dark article, which fails to quite get what it's trying to say, although it does bring a lot of hilarity to nowhere.