Storyline
The National Lampoon name became globally recognized after the monumental success of Animal House—but before the glory days, it was a scrappy yet divinely subversive magazine and radio show that introduced the world to comedic geniuses like Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, John Belushi, and Gilda Radner. The driving force behind National Lampoon was Doug Kenney (Will Forte), and his truly wild and crazy story unfolds in A Futile and Stupid Gesture from Harvard to Hollywood to Caddyshack and beyond.
Directors
Cast
Thomas Lennon, Rick Overton, Paul Rudd, Bob Stephenson, David Krumholtz, Seth Green, Carla Gallo, Lonny Ross, Joe Lo Truglio, Brian Huskey, Ed Helms, Joel McHale, Paul Scheer, Nelson Franklin, Rich Sommer, Natasha Lyonne, Matt Lucas, Matt Walsh, Emmy Rossum, Frank Gingerich, Morgan Gingerich, Martin Mull, Sandra Rosko, Domhnall Gleeson, David Wain, Will Forte, Annette O'Toole, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Armen Weitzman, Harry Groener, Camille Guaty, Lindsey Kraft, Abigail Klein, Brad Morris, Finn Wittrock, Gregg Turkington, Jon Daly, Elvy Yost, Max Greenfield, Neil Casey, Bambadjan Bamba, Jackie Tohn, Mark Metcalf, Martha Smith, Tim Seitter, Vivienne Taylor, Allyson Nicole Jones, Jon Klaft, Beau Bassewitz, Meera Rohit Kumbhani, John Gemberling, Rick Glassman, Liz Femi, Jeremey Penn, Jake Jacobson, Erv Dahl, Jack Andrew Cook, Andrew Gray McDonnell, Lauryn Morse, Ben F. Campbell, James Bearb, Sean Leo, Garrett Boyd, Paige Flannery, Gina Greschner, Steven Sims, Christopher Arminio, Christina Miller, T.C. Daniels, Dallas Ryan, David Sampen, Mitchell Hurwitz, Michael Sherman, Krister Johnson
Trailer
Reviews
82
Even if the casting choices in portraying some of iconic talents in Kenney’s orbit are occasionally questionable — a detail the film gleefully acknowledges — there’s something delightful about watching actors known for comedy now try to capture the sound or energy of the performers who inspired them.
75
This is quite possibly the most self-referential, inside-jokey, look-at-how-clever-we-are, off-the-charts Meta Movie I’ve ever seen. Sometimes that’s pretty great. At other times, it detracts from the core story at hand.
75
Although the film lacks his absurdism, there’s a musicality to Wain’s direction that’s addicting, and the emotional punch in the final five minutes proves there’s a future for the filmmaker that goes way beyond the yucks.
70
It’s not particularly illuminating, but it’s far from futile.
70
IGN
Even though the use of one particular plot device ends up feeling unnecessary and Will Forte can often appear miscast in the lead role, A Futile and Stupid Gesture still conjures up enough real emotions and inventive moments to feel like a worthwhile addition to Hollywood’s often tired biopic subgenre.
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