First let me say that I love Judd Apatow and this film does play out like a Judd Apatow film, but not quite like his other films. This film was advertised as kind of a dark humor with underlying tones of struggles in the character’s history. It’s definitely not as funny as his former films such “Bride’s Maids” and 40 Year Old Virgin”, but still comical.

Like many of the films that bit the coronavirus dust this year, it did not have a theatrical release.  Given the setting of streaming for me, I think that made a difference on how I viewed the movie.

The movie stars Pete Davidson and it is a semi-autobiographical film loosely based on Pete’s life set in the United States East. Pete and Pitt’s character both grew up on Staten Island. Apatow sets the theme early revolving around teenagers with nothing to do, nothing to talk about and that smoke dope a lot. Bel Powley plays his girlfriend Kelsey in the movie. Pete’s character Scott is pretty Melancholy about his long time friend/girlfriend having a fringe benefit relationship. The website Bustle tells us that Bel Powley modeled her character after Davidson’s mother, who was on the set most of the time. Kelsey also shows and non-interest/ interest about Davidson’s character Scott. Although he wants to be a tattoo artist, there are no real goals for this character Scott.  He is satisfied with just being where he is right now in life. Scott is in constant battle with his body having Crohn’s disease and depression and the constant reminder that his father died in the Twin Towers 9/11. Davidson’s own father was a firefighter and died in a hotel fire as well.

Also making appearances in this film are Marissa Tormei as Scott’s mother who is newly single and Steve Buscemi who plays one of Scott’s father’s friends who also reminds Scott of his Dad’s passing. There’s a lot going on in this film, which seems to be too much because it drags on and on.

Scott’s self-defeating Nature has him working in a restaurant, as a busboy, that is actually managed by a friend of his Joe. Joe as it turns out, also wants to be a tattoo artist. Although there is not much going on in the story line, the shining moments are between Scott’s mother and her newly found male friend Bill who is also a fireman (There are a lot of firemen in this film). The two of them have a good relationship, but Scott is always trying to break them up. It seems that this is because it reminds him of his father’s passing.

Sometimes this film just feels like a Friday night on Staten Island. But like I said, I think because I viewed this in a streaming setting, it felt different than it would have if I would have  gone into the theater and seen it. I am notoriously cheap and would have felt I blew my money, but not all of it.

There are some belly laughing moments as well, but the film ends more or less like it began. The character Scott still doesn’t seem like he has any motivation to further his life.  I guess that is okay when you’re young.I think Davidson is a funny guy and I really like him in SNL. I will still look forward to Apatow movies and not just because he married one of the funny ladies of Hollywood, Leslie Man.