-Written by Kyle Bain.
Rez Comedy presents the world with the first ever all-indigenous comedy documentary, as a series of First Nation people take the stage to showcase their comedic talents and entertain the world. Is their unique brand of comedy enough to tickle the crowd’s fancy and steal their hearts?
Live performances can sometimes make me uncomfortable, as I never know how to appropriately respond to the talent–and while I wasn’t physically present for the performances present in Rez Comedy, there were moments throughout this film that were truly painful and during which I felt incredibly uncomfortable. I struggled with this film on a series of levels. Some of the content was beyond my understanding of this indigenous group, and some things simply weren’t funny. All in all, I found this film incredibly challenging, and as I sat in front of my computer trying to find something to appreciate, other than what this means in the grand scheme of things via the cultural representation, Rez Comedy failed to intrigue me almost in its entirety.
I found Rez Comedy to be an incredibly trying watch–as very little appealed to me in the way that this array of comedians had hoped. I may have laughed a grand total of two times throughout the film–and that’s certainly not enough to label Rez Comedy a success.
In a lot of ways I attest the film’s (and the comedy’s) failure to the fact that Director Quentin Lee and Keith Nahanee give each comedian just a few seconds before their standup to express to viewers at home what to expect during their set. Each of these individuals is full of so much confidence, almost bursting from the seams with that aforementioned confidence–and then their set is a let down. They build themselves up so much, prepare the audience for something monstrous and comical, only to be unable to live up to their own hype. Their confidence is envied, and I genuinely appreciate the love that they have for their craft–and this is ultimately the saving grace of Rez Comedy, the simple fact that they are likable. However, when all is said and done, it seems to be for naught, as I just couldn’t wrap my head around their comedy or the production as a whole.
While I believe that Rez Comedy will hold some weight among the right audiences, so much of the comedy present in this stand-up special was lost on me. Not only is the comedians’ presence a bit troublesome, their jokes ultimately fell flat on me. Rez Comedy’s only real success is briefly presenting viewers with loveable individuals that transcend race or religion, and ultimately superseded the frumpy and ineffective comedy. I wish each of these comedians the best going forward (as I truly believe that being a comedian is one of the most challenging professions in the world), but this just wasn’t for me.
Directed by Quentin Lee & Keith Nahanee.
Starring Keith Nahanee, Jenelle Niles, Chuck Cease, Kevin Shawanda, Helena Paul, etc.
3.5/10 = WORTH WATCHING, BUT YOU’VE BEEN WARNED
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