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The Comedian

The Comedian

nobody's a bargain

2016120 minRMidcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Director
Taylor Hackford
Starring
Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, Edie Falco

An aging comic icon, Jackie Burke, has seen better days. Despite his efforts to reinvent himself and his comic genius, the audience only wants to know him as the former television character he once played. Already a strain on his younger brother and his wife, Jackie is forced to serve out a sentence doing community service for accosting an audience member. While there, he meets Harmony, the daughter of a sleazy Florida real estate mogul, and the two find inspiration in one another, resulting in surprising consequences.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Comedian?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Comedian to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Comedian?

The Comedian earns 5 badges, led by Award Winner and Box Office Flop.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Comedian worth watching?

The Comedian's Midcredits score is the 32nd percentile of all films, from 13K ratings across 6 sources. 38% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

32nd percentile

Better received than 32% of films

36th percentile among Comedy33rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)31st
Approval (how many liked it)35th

56 /100

31st percentile of all films

33rd percentile among Comedy33rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 40 · Audience 58

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

38% liked it

35th percentile of all films

38th percentile among Comedy34th percentile among 2010s
38% rated it 7–1062% rated it 1–6

Critics 24% · Audience 28%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 0 noms overall

81st percentile

13K ratings across platforms

79th percentile among Comedy83rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$15M
Opening weekend$11K
Domestic gross$1.7M
Worldwide gross$1.7M

Returned 0.1× its budget — 49th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

This is a film about a foul-mouthed, washed-up comedian with an impressive ensemble cast that often outshines the uneven material.

Fans praised

  • A-list cast delivers strong performances across the board
  • Crude, insult-comedy that captures the reality of stand-up life

Detractors panned

  • De Niro unconvincing as a stand-up comic with poor timing and delivery
  • Script cliché-ridden, plot meandering and pointless
  • Excessive vulgarity with little genuine humor

What stands out

ActingDivisive70

Praised ensemble including De Niro, Mann, Keitel, DeVito; detractors call De Niro unconvincing as comic

CharactersDivisive48

Fans: De Niro's character multidimensional, relatable; Detractors: unsympathetic, shallow

HumorDivisive40

Fans: crude, insult comedy works; Detractors: not funny, juvenile

DialogueDivisive40

Raunchy insult-heavy dialogue; fans find it clever, detractors call it juvenile

Plot and storyDivisive35

Storyline thin, predictable, cliché-ridden according to detractors

Pacing35

Drags, scenes feel long; mixed pace

OriginalityDivisive25

Derivative of King of Comedy, Mr. Saturday Night — no fresh take

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 21 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Comedian like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
ContemplativeWarmMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its protagonist's midlife crisis and romantic reawakening with earnest warmth, without undercutting the drama.
The rideThe film likely balances introspective moments with lighter comedic beats, with the emotional core emerging mid-way.
StructureLikely a conventional narrative following the protagonist from crisis through community service to a renewed sense of self.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer believing the protagonist can forge a new path, with a gentle melancholy for what's left behind.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2% (this title)
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Second chance: A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA fading comedian seeks reinvention and new purpose after a public incident; his journey of self-discovery and a new relationship suggests a second chance at life and love.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a performer's struggle to redefine his purpose when his public identity is locked to a past role.
StanceThe film questions the meaning of artistic reinvention and self-worth, without fully celebrating or condemning the protagonist's struggle.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingThe world of a fading comedian navigating city life and community service.

Content guide

Is The Comedian okay for kids?

R

The Comedian is rated R: “Rated R for crude sexual references and language throughout” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (11/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at severe (100/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • Canada14A
  • Germany12
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%
Profanity
Severe
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (29 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Comedian have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Comedian?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Robert De Niro
as Jackie Burke
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Leslie Mann
as Harmony Schiltz
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Danny DeVito
as James Berkowitz
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Edie Falco
as Miller
Harvey Keitel
as Mac Schiltz
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Charles Grodin
as Dick D'Angelo
Patti LuPone
as Florie Berkowitz
Cloris Leachman
as May Connor
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Veronica Ferres
as Karola
Lois Smith
as Miriam
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Comedian?

Movies like The Comedian include Living Out Loud (1998), Falling in Love (1984) and Liberal Arts (2012). Of the 12 closest matches, several are second-chance stories, and most are films set in New York.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Richard LaGravenese wrote 4 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Comedian?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: aging hero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.