Find a purpose
A24 has released the new, sweet trailer for Club Kid. The dramedy takes a different look at newfound fatherhood in a more positive light. Jordan Firstman does triple-duty as he writes, directs and stars in the film. People are taking notice of Firstman’s talent, as the praise this movie is garnering shows he can pull of the multiple hats so well. Club Kid would make a big splash at the Cannes screening so much that it started a bidding war between studios, including Netflix, Searchlight Pictures, Focus Features and Mubi. A24 would win in the end with a reported $17 million sale.
Club Kid
Joining Firstman in the film is a cast that includes Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Reggie Absolom and Colleen Camp. According to Variety, the film “follows a queer party promoter, played by Firstman, who has long outgrown his time on the scene. However, his life is upended when he suddenly meets the 10-year-old son he never knew he had, leading him to grapple with the kind of life he wants to lead.”
A24 is said to be pushing Club Kid for awards recognition along with Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut. Firstman says that he would display his cast on the sales circuit, stating, “In every one of my buyer meetings [it] was vital to me that this cast gets brought out in full to promote the film – flown out, put up, glam paid for, all of it.” Firstman’s past credits include I Love LA, English Teacher, Hacks and Rotting in the Sun. Plus, he is also known for his online sketch comedy.
What did we think?
Our Chris Bumbray got to attend the Cannes screening and would add to the buzz with his own praise. He says in his 8/10 review, “While the movie does follow a predictable path that’s been well-trodden by other films, it does so with a lot of style (The Studio DP Adam Newport-Berra shot it on 35mm, which is also how he shot another A24 pickup this year, Olivia Wilde’s The Invite). It hits familiar beats, but it has a lot of legitimate laughs, while the final act gives it a gritty, realistic, somewhat anti-Hollywood denouement that keeps it from being a total fantasy.
In the end, I was pretty stunned by Club Kid. Firstman’s vibe, admittedly, isn’t my thing, but damn if he didn’t do a remarkable job here. While it will no doubt be heavily marketed to the queer community, it feels pretty universal, with it — at its heart — being a fairly simple and sweet father-son story, and one that will strike a chord with many.”
Club Kid hits theaters on November 6.
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