Friday Film Noir
A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018) is a biographical comedy directed by David Wain and written by John Aboud and Michael Colton. The film chronicles the life of Doug Kenney (Will Forte), a co-founder of National Lampoon. As Kenney helps build the Lampoon brand alongside Henry Beard (Domhnall Gleeson) and Robert Hoffman (Thomas Lennon), the publication grows from a campus joke into a cultural force. The story follows Kenney’s increasing influence on comedy through projects like Animal House and Caddyshack, while charting the personal pressures and creative expectations that accompany success. Framed through an unconventional narrative device in which Kenney’s life is commented on by a fictionalized version of himself, the film moves toward an ending shaped by both legacy and loss.
Filming took place in Toronto and surrounding areas, which doubled for multiple locations including Harvard, New York, and Los Angeles. Will Forte spent months researching Doug Kenney’s writing and interviews, focusing less on impersonation and more on capturing his rhythms and comic instincts. Forte has said he avoided playing Kenney as overtly tragic, keeping the performance restrained even as the story darkened. Domhnall Gleeson immersed himself in Lampoon archives to understand Henry Beard’s editorial voice and creative partnership with Kenney. Thomas Lennon, who also serves as the film’s narrator, shaped his performance around the tone of classic Lampoon commentary, blending authority with self-aware humor. The film closes by acknowledging the enduring influence of National Lampoon on modern comedy, while leaving interpretation of Kenney’s final chapter deliberately open.
2018 • TV-MA • 1h 41m
Worldwide Gross: (NA because on Netflix)
