E.B. White once said, “Analysing humour is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it.” And that is always a problem when it comes to documentaries about comedy, comedians, or humour in general. Either there are a lot of funny performance scenes, or a lot of serious talking heads footage, depending on how the director wants the finished film to be received.
With Funny Pains, Jorgy Cruz has done a very fine balancing act and presents a thought provoking, painful, and engaging look at the life and times of comedian Wendi Starling, which still manages to raise a few laughs along the way… not bad for a debut feature length project!
I’ll be honest and say that I recognised no one in this film, but that could be different for someone who follows the live comedy scene in the USA, especially in New York City.
There were a few groups sitting round just chatting and swapping anecdotes about life and performance incidents that provided or shaped their material. They were probably familiar faces to anybody who goes to comedy clubs or open mic nights just, unfortunately, not to me, but that didn’t stop them being entertaining and amusing.
The World’s Most Indispensable Movie App
The RunPee app tells you the best times to
run & pee during a movie
so you don't miss the best scenes.
Download the RunPee app.
100% free (donation supported)
But the main focus is Wendi Starling. The bulk of the film runs from 2015 to 2019, following Wendi from gig to home to work to gig and so on and so on.
There’s a nice balance between exploring the events that inspire her material and the delivery of the material. And those events are intense; most notably her struggles with bi-polar disorder, moving from LA to NYC, and being raped by two men at a friend’s wedding. Dotted through are very well recreated clips of her childhood and teens; so well done that I had to check the credits to make sure that they were re-enactments.
So, I would recommend Funny Pains if you like documentaries, live comedy, true life stories, or any combination of them all.
I do like a documentary! I give it an A-
Movie Grade: A-
What people are saying
about the RunPee app.
January 7, 2024
Couldn’t live without this app anymore. Perfect to time my run for another glass of wine or two. Works great with my smart watch.
View all reviews
Apple App Store | Google Play Store
Download RunPee app
Don’t miss your favorite movie moments because you have to pee or need a snack. Use the RunPee app (Androidor iPhone) when you go to the movies. We have Peetimes for all wide release films every week, including Wicked, Gladiator II, Red One, The Wild Robot and coming soon Moana 2, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, Kraven the Hunter, Mufasa: The Lion King and many others. We have literally thousands of Peetimes—from classic movies through today’s blockbusters. You can also keep up with movie news and reviews on our blog, or by following us on Twitter @RunPee. If there’s a new film out there, we’ve got your bladder covered.
Leave a Reply