Movie Review: I Am a Comedian; What Energy as a Comedian!

When was the last time I experienced such an emotional roller coaster in one movie? Laughter, sadness, suffering, joy, frustration, empathy. “I Am a Comedian” was a film that shook me with so many emotions that after watching it, I felt overwhelmed and wanted to hold onto every feeling I had.
 
“I Am a Comedian” is a documentary closely following Daisuke Muramoto of the comedy duo Woman Rush Hour. My impression of him was as comedian who talks fast and is a bit radical, sometimes offensive about political things. However, I realize I was wrong to judge him like that so easily, only having seen some of his remarks on social media. I hadn’t even tried to understand the thinking behind his comments and the experiences that led him to them.
 
In Japanese society, the constitution allows freedom of speech, but at the same time, people expect you to “read the room.” This means that people are expected to behave a certain way. I know a lot of people feel this is a bit irritating, but there are also many people who believe that’s how order in daily life is maintained.
 
Muramoto left Japan because he was fed up with it all and flew to New York City alone. There, he joined open mics as a stand-up comedian every night. Having learned English, he now performs holding a notebook with his material in his hand. The audiences’ reactions are sometimes good and sometimes bad.
 
I noticed that his attitude was always very natural and not contrived at all. In the movie, his mother says he is very good at annoying people (including her), and at that point, the audience in the theater burst out laughing as if to say “We know that!” Even so, people are still allured by him because we all see he doesn’t expect anything from anyone, such as fame or admiration.
 
Now, I don’t think his words are ever radical; rather that, he represents a voice for people who are struggling in their lives. They may be victims of an earthquake, social minorities, or people who feel uncomfortable in their everyday lives. Through comedy, he continues to sow seeds in the hearts of the audience so that these people will never be marginalized from society.
 
At first, you may think his words sound negative, but they hold a glimmer of hope and are full of energy converting them into something positive through comedy. He always tries to understand the topics people want to avoid because they include negativity. His eyes on our society sow a seed in my heart as well.