OK, straight up- when I initially watch a film, it is from an emotional standpoint (ie. does the film move me, thrill me, make me laugh, etc.). Emotionally speaking, No Joke offers generous helpings of the squirm factor and more than a couple of big "eesh" moments...mostly due to the notorious Ali H and his performances. haha (note: I have met and worked with Ali and he's a wonderful, fun guy in person!). However, emotionally speaking, I became concerned and wondered if he was really THIS adamant about making people dislike him. I also wondered if there would be film coverage of blood spatter post-show (at Ali's expense). The omission of blood scenes can either be credited to damn fine editing, or divine intervention!
The guys themselves were interesting "characters", and I don't throw that word loosely. They were characters indeed, and could have easily held down their own reality TV shows. "James Brown does Chinatown", "The Human Vibrator's Electric Circus"...come to mind.
As the film progressed, it became as much a film about struggling comedians, but also about the human condition in all its f* up glory. The squirm factor was ever-present in the stand-up routine moments. With delicious thrill, I have to admit, it was so worth getting past the "eesh" moments to study the looks of horror, dismay, repulsion, or indifference on the audience's faces. THAT was one of the best things about this film. It was a film about how to horrify an audience. The often-repelled audience became another "character" and was just as intriguing to watch.
The fact that many of the guys seemed to give a toss about trying to be "liked", was in itself quite appealing. It takes real guts to be a true a-hole. I tip my hat to thee! They spouted stuff that many of might be thinking, but don't say for fear of "offending" others. (Thank Dog for comedians!)
Contextually- the film asks, "OK, so what is funny?". What was unfunny to audiences became terribly funny to me, a voyeur in on the joke/the Un-Joke, watching an uncomfortable audience respond to "un-funny" comedians. This is a kind of irreverence that can be enjoyed from a safe distance. I enjoyed it out of the comedy club, as a voyeur but not as a subject (ie. being IN the audience). Kudos for putting the truth out there in all its awkwardness and bombastic glory! The chronicling on the dysfunctional relationship between the comedians and their stunned audiences was a damn funny concept!
Technically-speaking- I enjoyed Matt Frame's narration and 'normalcy' to offset the nuttiness and chaos of the guys' screen time. His narration had good energy and helped the pacing in some moments. I liked the editing, which interspersed moments on the road, travelling, and on idiocyncracies of the guys. There was a bit reality show type gossip, and an over-focus on the mundane at times, and I hoped the film would be distinguished as something better, stronger, faster than another reality show (in this case, about comedians). It walked a fine line sometimes... I also appreciated some back-story about the guys' personal lives, which made them human. Would have been nice if they all had been showcased (with their diff histories) and some got more attention than others. I guess that is true of performers- one may get more attention than another, but it does not nec mean they are more interesting or talented, just a better attention-getter. Such is show biz! It would have been good to nip those personal backstory sequences a bit shorter or interspersed between routines, to break things up a bit. Seemed a tad long in parts.
I wondered what happened at the end...I wanted a bigger resolution, a splashier ending, but perhaps I was expecting a "Jack-Ass"ian ending, (which is my bad and not the filmmakers. ;)
All in all, I would say comedy is SO subjective, but if you don't mind in-your-face irreverence and humour which can border on hostility...this film was a fascinating look at the human condition. It makes the viewer question his/her own impulses to sabotague, to push that envelope, to f* things up just to see "what happens".
Live vicariously? Hell yes, I did. Did I laugh? Yes, but not for the reasons one would think on a film about comedians. This was an internalized, quiet, evil chuckle, the same one you get when you're not supposed to laugh in church.
Ballsy performances, brave film work (but not for the faint of heart ;).
