“… there were a few things that I felt could have been done better.”

Yesterday I watched Top Five, one of the more recent entries in the ‘semi-biographical look at the world of comedy and fame’ genre, and I enjoyed it. Top Five follows Andre Allen, a comedian who has struggled with alcohol abuse in the past and is trying his best to make a serious go at making movies. The only problem is, people reject any serious attempts he makes in favour of just shouting quotes from his most popular films. The film follows Allen as he travels around New York promoting his new film, while also being followed by a reporter from the New York Times conducting an interview.

I really enjoy movies like this because they tackle issues often not discussed with fame and comedy; anyone can be sad. Seeing these characters that we presume are infallible fall from great heights really brings everyone down to the same level and helps with feelings of empathy. You could tell throughout Top Five just how tragic the story was, despite all of the jokes, and it all comes together in an ending that is perfect in every way.

But I wasn’t a fan of every aspect of the movie becasue I felt that, well it did deal with a lot of issues mentioned, it did so in a way that always kept one foot on the ‘safe’ side of the tracks. It refused to dive in head-first and fully immerse itself in the pain and anguish that this character was obviously feeling. We got hints of it, but that was about it. And there was also a really unnecessary plot point toward the end of the movie, but I won’t spoil that here.

Top Five is a really solid movie even from a technical standpoint. The direction, the writing, and the almost endless supply of recognizable actors is astounding. And don’t even get me started on the soundtrack. But despite this, and a really solid story, there were a few things that I felt could have been done better.

I give Top Five a B