A Futile and Stupid Gesture

2018
15
1h 41m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Will Forte in A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018)

In the 1970s and '80s, National Lampoon's success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled Douglas Kenney.In the 1970s and '80s, National Lampoon's success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled Douglas Kenney.In the 1970s and '80s, National Lampoon's success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled Douglas Kenney.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

18K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations

Trivia
Joel McHale portrays Chevy Chase in this project. The two costarred in Community (2009). A number of episodes centered on McHale's character fearing he would become like Chase's one day. When McHale called Chase and told him that he would be playing him in the film, Chase gave his blessing and shared with him stories about Doug Kenney.

Goofs
When the names of National Lampoon staff omitted from the movie are flashed on the screen, renowned cartoonist and NatLamp editor Shary Flenniken's name is misspelled (as "Sherry").

Quotes
Tom Snyder: Mr. Kenney, it's a fine line between being clever and offensive, isn't it?
Douglas Kenney: Look, if I could just say something in defense of National Lampoon for one moment...
Tom Snyder: Please.
Douglas Kenney: We come from a tradition of truth-tellers. A long time ago, there was someone else society found offensive. They thought that what he did was radical - dangerous. They persecuted him... and eventually killed him. Of course, I'm referring to Dracula.

Crazy credits
After the end credits have rolled, Martin Mull is shown singing the song "Time of My Life" with members of the cast.

Connections
Features Airplane! (1980)

Soundtracks
Chapel of Dreams
Written by Billy Myles
Performed by The Dubs
Courtesy of Rhino Entertainment Company
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User reviews69

Review

Featured review

8/10

Well made biography worth to be told.

After looking up Douglas Kenney (quote: Though almost completely unknown, this man was one of the originators of a highly popular and groundbreaking new form of comedy and satire) and reading his full biography I admit I never heard of him before, even though I watched Animal House and Caddyshack, like everybody else probably. It's an interesting story to watch, a bit sad but told in a funny way, probably just like he would have wanted it. It's just too bad there wasn't a small part for the real comedians from those movies, that would have been a nice addition. But watching Will Forte is always funny. Since the series The Last Man On Earth I'm a big fan of him. The cast was just very good for this movie, mostly comedians better known from comedy series, but none of them has to prove anything anymore as they are all funny. The movie is well shot, never a dull moment, and it's a story that is worth to be told. National Lampoon is a name everybody knows or has heard of, and this movie is a nice hommage to one of the co-founders, maybe a bit excentric, certainly not a fully happy man, but with a fascinating life.