Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/A24
Like the rotten black shower water that welcomes its hero to his first home away from home, Funny Pages coats you in a soup of sweaty roommates, awkward naked men, and one disastrous Christmas morning.
A24’s Funny Pages (out this weekend in theaters and on VOD) is such a loving tribute to the vibes of such left-of-center cartoonists as Robert Crumb, and so madcap and unhinged, it’s no wonder it is produced by the Safdie brothers. After the film’s Cannes debut this summer, The Daily Beast called the film “assured and funny, an almost bewilderingly throwback indie film whose wit and lack of starriness are beguiling.” And indeed, on top of the rest of its curdled delights, at the core of Funny Pages is the wildest ensemble performance you’re likely to see this year, even if you might not recognize many of its stars.
In the film, things get weird quickly—and stay there—while crafting a portrait of young comic book artist Robert, played by Eighth Grade’s Daniel Zolghadri. After the sudden death of his boundary-crossing mentor, Robert decides to drop out of high school before graduation, much to the concern of his helpless parents. Instead of preparing for college, Robert aims to surround himself with the grimiest lot of individuals, who he thinks will serve as inspiration for his art. But his objectification of the weirdos on the margins is more than his naivete can handle, and it all culminates in the most chaotic Christmas morning since Santa forgot to bring Dawn Davenport her cha-cha heels.