Watch A Stand Up Guy
- NR
- 2016
- 1 hr 30 min
-
4.7 (522)
A Stand Up Guy is a comedy-drama film released in 2016, directed by Mike Young and produced by Danny A. Abeckaser. The movie stars Abeckaser himself, along with Annie Heise, Nick Cordero, and a few other notable actors in secondary roles. The plot follows a young man named Sammy Lagucci (played by Abeckaser), who dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian in New York. However, his talent is limited, and his jokes tend to fall flat. Sammy is also a low-level mobster who works for his father-in-law, a shady figure named Vincent (played by Michael Rapaport).
One day, Sammy gets into trouble with the law after he's caught in a drug bust. He's faced with a choice between going to jail or performing comedy at a retirement home as part of a community service sentence. He chooses the latter and discovers that he actually enjoys making the elderly laugh.
With the help of a retired comedian named Al Hartmann (played by Bob Saget), Sammy decides to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian. Al teaches Sammy the nuances of comedy, and Sammy begins to hone his craft. Meanwhile, Vincent becomes increasingly suspicious of Sammy's new hobby and starts to put pressure on him to return to his old ways.
The movie is a classic underdog story, where Sammy has to overcome the odds to achieve his dreams. A key theme of A Stand Up Guy is the idea that comedy is a serious business, and it takes more than just being funny to succeed. The movie explores the art of telling jokes, the importance of timing and delivery, and the pressure that comedians face to make people laugh.
Danny A. Abeckaser delivers a solid performance as the lead character Sammy. He manages to portray the character's vulnerability, his ambition, and his street-smarts convincingly. Bob Saget brings his signature deadpan humor to the role of Al, and his scenes with Abeckaser are some of the funniest in the movie.
Annie Heise plays Sammy's girlfriend, who's also a nurse at the retirement home. She provides the movie with an emotional anchor and a love interest for Sammy. Nick Cordero plays Vincent's right-hand man, who's more loyal to Sammy than to Vincent.
The movie's production values are high, and the cinematography captures the gritty streets of New York City effectively. The soundtrack features a mix of classic and modern music, with several scenes featuring live performances of comedians.
Overall, A Stand Up Guy is an enjoyable movie that will appeal to fans of comedies and underdog stories. It's not the most original movie out there, but it's well-acted and well-executed. The film has its share of laughs, but it also has heart and soul, making it a movie that's easy to root for.
A Stand Up Guy is a 2016 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.7.