Coming to theatres today, Friday, July 31: I AM CHRIS FARLEY
Brent Hodge and Derik Murray’s tribute to the late comedian makes its debut this weekend in limited theatrical engagements around the country prior to its broadcast debut on Spike next month.
Farley, best known for his time as a SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE cast member before breaking into films with TOMMY BOY, died of a drug overdose at the age of 33. Hodge and Murray’s film chooses to focus more positively on the trajectory of the comedian’s life and career than on his sad death – a choice that often sits awkwardly with the emotional tenor of the interviews they elicit from friends and family. Hewing closely to biopic conventions, the film trots out family members in the form of Farley’s siblings to sketch out his idyllic, loving Wisconsin upbringing and his natural showmanship, while college friends and Second City castmates trace the early development of his talents as he discovered performing, particularly through improv, which paved the way for his SNL breakthrough, and which are showcased here through intriguing albeit crude video recordings. The requisite focus on his memorable SNL characters takes up the bulk of the film, accompanied by an impressive roster of talking heads, including the typically reclusive Adam Sandler and Lorne Michaels – a testament to the enduring impact Farley had on his collaborators nearly two decades after his death. At the same time, the filmmakers’ never seem to give enough breathing room to process the seemingly still-raw grief expressed by Farley’s friends over his sad death, instead taking pains to shift the mood back to one of celebration, a tactic that ends up feeling forced, making this look back at a self-sabotaged career feel a bit too superficial and rose-colored than well-rounded.
what (not) to doc 