'Club Kid' Review: A Wonderfully Warm, Achingly Raw Debut
writer/director jordan firstman makes his feature debut with A24’s Club Kid. Fortunately, Firstman’s singular voice shines through in a wonderfully warm and achingly raw story of fatherhood and emotional maturity set against the rich backdrop of NYC.
‘Club Kid’ centers on a young New York City club promoter named Peter (Jordan Firstman), a hard-partying man child of sorts, barely scraping by and making ends meet. However, his life becomes far more complicated with the arrival of young boy named Arlo (Reggie Absolom), who just so happens to be his son. Given no choice but to care for the boy, he takes him in and the two begin a newfound father and son relationship that happens to change both of their respective lives.
It’s clear from the opening sequences alone that Firstman has a clear, lively voice behind the camera, not only pulling the viewer into the infectiously fun nightlife of New York City and the friends Peter surrounds himself with on a daily basis as they party until the early hours of the morning, dabbling in drugs and other assorted debaucherous activities. The camerawork is dynamic and intimate, making the viewer feel as if they’re a fly on the wall and along for the turbulent ride. His direction truly shines in the film’s more heart-wrenching moments, letting the camera linger and squeeze every last potent drop out of an emotionally charged sequence or exchange between core characters. He isn’t afraid to let these moments sit and breathe, the trademarks of a filmmaker who confidently knows how he wants to tell his story, refusing to shy away from moments that would make any audience member palpably uncomfortable or uneasy.
Firstman also happens to shine in front of the camera as well, imbuing Peter with enough charm, tenderness and authenticity that makes him a character worth rooting for and becoming emotionally invested in despite his heavily apparent flaws and anchors weighing his life down tremendously. His chemistry with newcomer Absolom is absolutely the highlight of the film, the two of them sharing an infectious, natural and deeply lived-in chemistry that makes they ever-changing dynamic consistently engaging, especially as the two explore the inevitable hurdles and emotional complexities of their burgeoning relationship. Though the trajectory of their relationship may feel a bit predictable, the two of them sell the journey exceedingly well, providing plenty of laughs and a hefty amount of heart along the way.
The supporting performances are also very strong here. Cara Delevingne, who plays Peter’s business partner and close friend Sophie, is terrific as her career aspirations and underlying drug addiction make her friendship with him increasingly more complicated and tumultuous throughout. Diego Calva is also a notable standout as Oscar, a social worker who helps Arlo through some personal struggles and shares sparks with Peter that are considerably difficult to ignore. His chemistry with FIrstman is electric and their dynamic, which easily could’ve felt rote or cliche in another storyteller’s hands, feels fresh in Firstman’s, the scenes between them equal parts playful and emotionally compelling.
However, it’s the film’s deft balance of humor and heart that is its biggest asset. Firstman crafts plenty of incredibly funny sequences and repartee between characters that land effectively and more importantly unexpectedly, providing surprising and visceral laughs mined out of material that easily could’ve taken a darker turn. He never veers too heavily one way or another, towing the line between the two with dexterous precision. The heart packs an emotional wallop, not only feeling earned but incredibly well executed thanks to Firstman’s thoughtful direction and the fantastic performances. The way the film explores how messy life can be, how it can be exciting, frustrating, saddening, exhilarating, hopeful and everything in between all at once is beautifully handled, especially as Peter attempts to grow and evolve amidst the chaos not only for the sake of Arlo, but more importantly for himself as well.
The only area where the film hits a slight hiccup is in the pacing department. Clocking in at a smidge over two hours, the length is unfortunately felt throughout, the pacing inconsistent and frustratingly so. There are sequences where the film truly finds its rhythm and plants its feet firmly in the ground, but then it loses that grip and begins to drift narratively, unfortunately feeling a little too aimless for its own good as it heads into its stellar third act. Fortunately, every other facet of the film is strong enough to mitigate this issue, but with a little tightening of the screws in the editing bay, this could’ve easily been a smoother, better paced experience.
‘Club Kid’ is a phenomenal debut for Firstman, showcasing a vivid, colorful and distinct narrative voice that has boundless potential moving forward. This story that could’ve easily been an unoriginal slog is anything but, the performances, emotionally powerful storytelling and immersive visuals making for a film that is wholly enveloping and tangibly raw. Firstman’s debut feature not only proves he’s an exciting voice to watch, but that even in life’s messiest moments and periods of time, there’s beauty in that chaos, the kind that needs to be seen on the big screen.