The King of Staten Island

Last updated

The King of Staten Island
The King of Staten Island.jpeg
Official promotional poster
Directed by Judd Apatow
Written by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Robert Elswit
Edited by
Music by Michael Andrews
Production
companies
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • June 12, 2020 (2020-06-12)(United States)
Running time
137 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$35 million [2]
Box office$2.2 million [3] [4]

The King of Staten Island is a 2020 American comedy-drama film directed by Judd Apatow, from a screenplay by Apatow, Pete Davidson, and Dave Sirus. It stars Davidson, Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr, Bel Powley, Maude Apatow, and Steve Buscemi, and follows a young man who must get his life together after his mother starts dating a new man who, like his deceased father, is a firefighter.

Contents

The film was announced as Apatow's next project in early 2019, with the cast joining that April. Filming took place around New York City in June and July. The film has been called a "semi-biographical" take on the life of Davidson, whose father was a New York City firefighter who died in service during the September 11 attacks and who has had his own battles with mental illness.

Originally intended to be theatrically released in the United States, the film was released digitally via Premium VOD on June 12, 2020, by Universal Pictures. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

Plot

Twenty-four-year-old high school dropout Scott Carlin lives with his mother Margie and his sister Claire in Staten Island. His firefighter father Stan died fighting a fire when he was seven, a loss that continues to affect him; he also deals with numerous medical problems, including Crohn's disease and ADD, and smokes marijuana often.

Unemployed, Scott spends his days hanging out with his friends, including Kelsey, whom he is sleeping with. She wants the relationship to be more serious, but he fears commitment and that he is not good enough for her. Claire, who is leaving for college, is concerned Scott's neuroses may grow out of control with her gone.

Scott dreams of being a tattoo artist and practices regularly on his friends, although his work is extremely inconsistent. One day, while hanging out with them at the beach, he is approached by 9-year-old Harold. Harold asks Scott to give him a tattoo, but runs off after getting a single line. Later, Harold's father, Ray, shows up at Scott's house.

Initially furious, Ray finds himself attracted to Margie and he eventually asks her out. Though she has not dated since Stan's death, she agrees. As things get more serious, Margie reveals their relationship to Scott, who is disturbed that he, like Stan, is a firefighter. Ray takes Scott to a Staten Island Yankees game with his co-workers but finds it difficult to talk to Scott, who argues that firefighters should not have families because of the pain that is caused by their deaths.

Margie and Ray give Scott an ultimatum to move out, which upsets him. While visiting Claire, he tells her he plans to break up their mom and Ray, as the relationship is 'unhealthy'. Scott gets a job as a busboy, and begins walking Harold and his sister Kelly to school each day, growing close with them.

Meanwhile, Scott's friends plan to rob a pharmacy for oxycodone pills to sell. He is uncomfortable with the plan but agrees to be the lookout. The robbery goes awry when the pharmacist and his wife confront them. Oscar is shot and all three are arrested, but Scott flees.

Scott talks with Ray's ex-wife Gina, who tells him several negative things about Ray, painting him as a homeless gambling addict. He relays this to Margie, only to end up in a physical confrontation with Ray when he hears what Scott told her. A furious Margie kicks both men out.

With his friends in jail, Scott struggles to find a place to stay. He hopes that Kelsey will let him stay with her after they sleep together, but she is indignant when she recognizes his ulterior motives and refuses. Desperate, Scott goes to Ray's firehouse, where he is told he may stay in return for doing chores.

Scott gradually bonds with Ray and the other firefighters, who tell him stories about his father, which humanizes him and helps Scott accept his death. Ray learns from Harold that Scott is a talented artist, and agrees to let him tattoo his back as practice, but within certain limits.

One day, a man shows up at the firehouse with an abdominal wound while Scott is there alone. He takes him to the hospital, where Ray arrives, using his firefighter connections to get the man the help he needs. Margie, who works as an emergency room nurse, sees Scott and Ray and reconciles with them both.

Ray shows Margie his tattoos; a number of them are offensive or violate his criteria, but the most prominent is one of Margie, Ray, Scott, and Claire together (plus their dad as the sun). Scott surprises Kelsey at the Staten Island Ferry, where she is heading into Manhattan to take a civil service exam. He rides on the ferry with her, where he confesses his love for her, and they kiss. Kelsey heads into the exam, asking him to wait for her.

Cast

Production

On January 29, 2019, it was announced that Universal Pictures was producing a new film directed by Judd Apatow and starring Pete Davidson. The film was set to be written by Apatow, Davidson, and Dave Sirus with Apatow and Sirus also producing the film. [5] Davidson first came to Apatow's attention while working on Trainwreck after he was recommended by Amy Schumer, and he was cast in a cameo role in that film. The story is based in part on Davidson's life, depicting what it might have been like if he had not become a comedian. [6] [7]

In April 2019, Bel Powley, Bill Burr and Marisa Tomei were added to the cast. [8] [9] Maude Apatow and Pamela Adlon joined in May. [10] In June 2019, Colson Baker, Jimmy Tatro, Ricky Velez, Steve Buscemi, Kevin Corrigan, Domenick Lombardozzi, Mike Vecchione, Moisés Arias, Lou Wilson and Derek Gaines joined the cast of the film. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Principal photography began June 3, 2019, in Staten Island [16] and concluded on August 9. [17]

Release

The King of Staten Island was set to have its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 13, 2020, [18] [19] but the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [20] It was rescheduled to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 20, 2020, [21] which was also cancelled due to the pandemic. [22] Originally scheduled for a theatrical release on June 19, 2020, the film was instead released digitally in the United States and Canada through Premium VOD on June 12, 2020, due to movie theaters closures that started in mid-March because of the pandemic restrictions. [23] [24] It was initially set to play in about 100 theaters, mostly drive-ins, beginning the same day as its VOD release, but Universal Pictures changed course after consulting the film's producers. [25]

The film was released in cinemas in the Netherlands on June 25, 2020, France on July 22, Germany on July 30, and Spain on October 9. [3] The film made $253,000 from 160 theaters in its Australian debut and $59,000 in New Zealand. [26]

The film as of March 27, 2022, has sold an estimated $4.5 million in Theatrical and Home Markets, [27] as well as an estimated $40 million in video-on-demand sales across various platforms.

Reception

VOD sales

In its debut weekend, The King of Staten Island was the most rented film on FandangoNow, Amazon Prime, the iTunes Store, Comcast Xfinity, Apple TV, Vudu, Google Play, YouTube, Spectrum, and DirecTV. [28] [29] [30] It remained the top rented film across all platforms in second weekend, then on all but FandangoNow in its third. [31] [32] After a month of release, the film remained the number-one rented title on Prime, and in the top-five on all other platforms. [33] In late-August, the price was lowered to $5.99 and it returned to the second-most rented movie on Fandango and third on Apple TV. [34] In October 2020, The Hollywood Reporter said the film had generated $40 million in revenue for Universal up to that point. They also reported the film was the seventh-most popular PVOD title amid the COVID-19 pandemic. [2]

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 75% based on 287 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "The King of Staten Island's uncertain tone and indulgent length blunt this coming-of-age dramedy's ability to find itself, but Pete Davidson's soulful performance holds it together." [35] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 50 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [36]

Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times , Richard Roeper called the film "sharp and funny" and gave it three-and-a-half stars out of four, saying that "Davidson delivers a fully realized, nuanced performance, tackling dark comedy and raw drama with equal aplomb." [37] David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave the film a "B+" and called it "a sweet and tender dramedy", writing: "Teetering between self-parody and something truly beautiful, Apatow's latest offers yet another shaggy portrait of permanent adolescence but this one — his best film since 2009's Funny People — helps make sense of why he always keeps going back to the same archetype." [38]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judd Apatow</span> American filmmaker (born 1967)

Judd Apatow is an American director, producer, screenwriter and comedian, best known for his work in comedy films. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, through which he produced and directed the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2007), Funny People (2009), This Is 40 (2012), Trainwreck (2015), The King of Staten Island (2020), and The Bubble (2022).

Barry Mendel is an American film producer. Mendel first produced Wes Anderson’s Rushmore starring Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray, which won two Film Independent Spirit Awards for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor. This was followed by The Sixth Sense, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, which was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture. Subsequently, he produced Shyamalan's follow-up, Unbreakable, then went back to work with Anderson on The Royal Tenenbaums, which was Oscar-nominated for Best Original Screenplay. Their collaboration continued on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which Mendel followed by producing Joss Whedon’s feature film directorial debut, Serenity. Mendel next conceived, developed and produced Munich, directed by Steven Spielberg, which was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture. He then produced Whip It, Drew Barrymore’s debut as a feature director, which starred Elliot Page and Kristen Wiig. Mendel produced another film with Page, Peacock, which co-starred Cillian Murphy and Susan Sarandon.

<i>Knocked Up</i> 2007 romantic comedy film by Judd Apatow

Knocked Up is a 2007 American romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by Judd Apatow, and starring Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel and Martin Starr. It follows the repercussions of a drunken one-night stand between a slacker and a recently promoted media personality that results in an unintended pregnancy.

Domenico Lombardozzi is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Herc in The Wire, and is also known for his roles in Tulsa King, Entourage, A Bronx Tale (1993), and The Irishman (2019).

<i>This Is 40</i> 2012 film by Judd Apatow

This Is 40 is a 2012 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Judd Apatow and starring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann. A "sort-of sequel" to Apatow's 2007 film Knocked Up, the plot centers on married couple Pete (Rudd) and Debbie (Mann), whose stressful relationship is compounded by each turning 40. John Lithgow, Megan Fox, and Albert Brooks appear in supporting roles.

Dave Sirus is an American writer and stand-up comedian. He produces and writes sketch comedy, is known for interviewing members of the Westboro Baptist Church, and appeared as a guest and recurring comedic correspondent on RT's The Alyona Show and HuffPost Live. He has been a writer for Saturday Night Live since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maude Apatow</span> American actress (born 1997)

Maude Annabelle Apatow is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Lexi Howard in the HBO drama series Euphoria (2019–present).

<i>Trainwreck</i> (film) 2015 film by Judd Apatow

Trainwreck is a 2015 American romantic sex comedy film directed and co-produced by Judd Apatow and written by and starring Amy Schumer along with an ensemble supporting cast that includes Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, John Cena, Vanessa Bayer, Tilda Swinton, Ezra Miller, Mike Birbiglia, Norman Lloyd, and NBA player LeBron James. The film is about a hard-drinking, promiscuous, free-spirited young magazine writer named Amy Townsend (Schumer) who has her first serious relationship with a prominent orthopedic surgeon named Aaron Conners (Hader). The film received positive reviews from critics, praising the performances of Schumer, Hader, James, and the screenplay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Davidson</span> American comedian and actor (born 1993)

Peter Michael Davidson is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He began his career in the early 2010s with minor guest roles on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Friends of the People, Guy Code, and Wild 'n Out before being hired as cast member on the NBC late-night sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live which he starred in for eight seasons from 2014 to 2022.

<i>Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping</i> 2016 American mockumentary comedy film

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a 2016 American mockumentary musical comedy film directed by Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone and written by and starring Andy Samberg, Taccone, and Schaffer. The trio, collectively known as The Lonely Island, also co-produced the film with Judd Apatow and Rodney Rothman. Sarah Silverman, Tim Meadows, Imogen Poots, Joan Cusack, Maya Rudolph, and Chris Redd appear in supporting roles.

Ricky Velez is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. He co-starred with his best friend, Pete Davidson, in The King of Staten Island (2021), which he also helped write and produce. His first stand-up special, Ricky Velez: Here's Everything, was released on HBO in October 2021.

<i>Crashing</i> (American TV series) American television comedy series

Crashing is an American comedy-drama television series created by Pete Holmes and executive produced by Holmes and occasional series director Judd Apatow. The first season aired on the HBO network in the United States from February 19 to April 9, 2017. It ran for a total of three seasons. The semi-autobiographical show revolves around a fictional version of Holmes, a comedian who pursues a career in stand-up comedy after his wife cheats on him, leaving him homeless. Several comedians play themselves in recurring roles, including Artie Lange and T. J. Miller, while others have guest appearances.

<i>Trolls World Tour</i> 2020 animated film directed by Walt Dohrn

Trolls World Tour is a 2020 American animated jukebox musical fantasy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures, based on the Good Luck Trolls dolls created by Thomas Dam. The sequel to Trolls (2016) and the second installment in the franchise, the film was directed by Walt Dohrn and co-directed by David P. Smith, from a screenplay by Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky, Elizabeth Tippet, and the writing team of Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, and a story by Aibel and Berger. The film features the voices of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom, James Corden, Ron Funches, Kelly Clarkson, Anderson .Paak, Sam Rockwell, George Clinton, and Mary J. Blige. The film follows Poppy and Branch as they discover several more troll tribes that represent music genres other than their own. Troubles arise when the Queen of the Rock tribe Barb plans to overthrow the foreign music genres to unite the trolls under rock music.

<i>The High Note</i> 2020 film directed by Nisha Ganatra

The High Note is a 2020 American comedy-drama film directed by Nisha Ganatra and written by Flora Greeson. It stars Dakota Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Zoë Chao, Bill Pullman, Eddie Izzard, and Ice Cube, and follows a famous singer's personal assistant who wants to become a music producer.

<i>The Quarry</i> (2020 film) Mystery thriller film, directed by Scott Teems

The Quarry is a 2020 American mystery thriller film directed by Scott Teems, from a screenplay by Teems and Andrew Brotzman, based upon the 1995 novel of the same name by Damon Galgut. It stars Shea Whigham, Michael Shannon, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Bobby Soto, Bruno Bichir and Alvaro Martinez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lou Wilson (actor)</span> American actor and comedian

Zachery Lou Wilson is an American actor, writer, and comedian. He is best known for his work as a writer and his roles on actual play anthology web series Dimension 20 and the creator-owned podcast Worlds Beyond Number. He is also known for being the on-air announcer for Jimmy Kimmel Live! and his roles on American Vandal, The King of Staten Island, and The Guest Book.

References

  1. ↑ "The King of Staten Island". Tribeca Film Festival . Archived from the original on July 8, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  2. 1 2 Pamela McClintock (October 23, 2020). "Skipping Theaters? Hollywood Studios Weigh Risks of PVOD". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  3. 1 2 "The King of Staten Island (2020)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  4. ↑ "The King of Staten Island (2020) - Financial Information". The Numbers . Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  5. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 29, 2019). "Judd Apatow To Direct Film Vehicle For Pete Davidson". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  6. ↑ Derek Lawrence (May 8, 2020). "Exclusive: 'King of Staten Island' director Judd Apatow on Pete Davidson's personal tribute to 'heroes'". EW .
  7. ↑ Alan Siegel (June 11, 2020). "The King of Comedy Finds His Serious Side". The Ringer. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Bel Powley to Star With Pete Davidson in Judd Apatow Comedy at Universal". April 10, 2019. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Marisa Tomei Joins Pete Davidson in Judd Apatow Comedy (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . April 23, 2019. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Pamela Adlon Boards Universal's Untitled Judd Apatow-Pete Davidson Comedy". May 29, 2019. Archived from the original on May 29, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  11. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 3, 2019). "Colson Baker Joins Universal's Untitled Judd Apatow-Pete Davidson Comedy". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  12. ↑ Galuppo, Mia (June 5, 2019). "'American Vandal' Star Jimmy Tatro Joins Pete Davidson in Universal Comedy (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on June 5, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  13. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 5, 2019). "Universal's Judd Apatow-Pete Davidson Comedy Adds Stand-Up Comedian Ricky Velez". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on June 5, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  14. ↑ Kroll, Justin (June 18, 2019). "Steve Buscemi Joins Judd Apatow's Upcoming Pete Davidson Comedy (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  15. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (June 25, 2019). "Universal's Judd Apatow-Pete Davidson Comedy Adds Trio". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  16. ↑ Knudson, Annalise (June 3, 2019). "Pete Davidson spotted filming on Staten Island". Staten Island Advance . Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  17. ↑ Priola, Victoria (August 9, 2019). "Judd Apatow and Pete Davidson project wraps filming on Staten Island". Staten Island Advance . Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  18. ↑ Ray-Ramos, Dino (January 15, 2020). "SXSW Sets Judd Apatow's 'The King Of Staten Island' As Opening-Night Film, Unveils Features And Episodics Lineups". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  19. ↑ "SXSW 2020 Schedule". Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  20. ↑ "City of Austin Cancels SXSW March Events". South by Southwest . March 6, 2020. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  21. ↑ Goldsmith, Jill (March 3, 2020). "Tribeca Sets Feature Lineup Of Films For 2020 Fest". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  22. ↑ Beresford, Tribly; Lewis, Hilary (March 12, 2020). "Tribeca Film Festival Postponed Amid Coronavirus Fears". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  23. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 27, 2020). "Pete Davidson & Judd Apatow Movie 'King of Staten Island' Skips Theatrical, Hits VOD This Summer". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on April 28, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  24. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 1, 2019). "Universal Dates Judd Apatow-Pete Davidson Comedy & DreamWorks' 'The Turning' For 2020". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  25. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 13, 2020). "Pete Davidson Movie 'The King Of Staten Island' Pulled From Handful Of Theaters By Universal As Pic Debuts On PVOD – Update". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  26. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (July 21, 2020). "'Peninsula' Thrills To $21M In Overseas Bow; 'Train To Busan' Sequel Helps Imax Score First $1M Global Weekend Since March – International Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  27. ↑ "The King of Staten Island (2020) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  28. ↑ Roweles, Dustin (June 14, 2020). "Box Office: 'The King of Staten Island' & The Most-Watched Movies At Home This Weekend". Uproxx . Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  29. ↑ Brueggemann, Tom (June 15, 2020). "'Da 5 Bloods,' 'The King of Staten Island,' and 'Becky' Are This Week's Blockbusters". IndieWire . Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  30. ↑ Anthony D'Alessandro (June 15, 2020). "'Invisible Man' Reclaims No. 1 In Weekend 16 As Universal Owns Bulk Of Top 10 Despite 'King Of Staten Island' Sitting Out". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  31. ↑ Roweles, Dustin (June 21, 2020). "Box Office: A Polish Erotic Drama Is Among The Most Watched Movies Of The Weekend". Uproxx . Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  32. ↑ Brueggemann, Tom (June 29, 2020). "'King of Staten Island' Continues Universal's VOD Dominance as 'Eurovision' Scores at Netflix". IndieWire . Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  33. ↑ Brueggemann, Tom (July 7, 2020). "'Hamilton' Rules Disney+ Over July 4, but the VOD Success Story Is Rod Lurie's 'The Outpost'". IndieWire . Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  34. ↑ Brueggemann, Tom (August 31, 2020). "'Bill & Ted Face the Music' Tops Multiple VOD Charts as Chadwick Boseman Films Soar". IndieWire . Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  35. ↑ "The King of Staten Island (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  36. ↑ "The King of Staten Island Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  37. ↑ Roeper, Richard (June 8, 2020). "'The King of Staten Island': Pete Davidson plays a loser — but the lovable kind". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  38. ↑ Ehrlich, David (June 8, 2020). "'The King of Staten Island' Review: Pete Davidson Shines in Apatow's Best Film Since 'Funny People'". IndieWire . Retrieved June 9, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.