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Call Me Lucky

Name: Call Me Lucky
Director: Bobcat Goldthwait
Released: 2015
Duration: 106 min

Representation Score

7.7/10

Good

2015

Director

Bobcat Goldthwait

Runtime

106 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Call Me Lucky is a sophisticated biographical film that avoids the usual sanitized portrayal of documentaries. It uses a modern perspective to explore how systemic trauma influences an individual's political and social actions. The film's strength is in its examination of power structures and the validation of the outsider experience. It goes beyond a simple biography to delve into the psychological complexities of a man shaped by his past. However, the film is limited by its focus on a specific historical period and a central male character. While it questions traditional masculinity, it doesn't offer much in terms of diverse representation.

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Category Breakdown

Does Call Me Lucky have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film highlights the comedy underground, a space closely tied to queer identity. Though it doesn't show same-sex intimacy directly, it recognizes the safe havens Barry Crimmins created for performers from underrepresented communities.

How does Call Me Lucky portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses on Barry Crimmins, a man known for his rough and unpredictable nature. It steers clear of traditional male leadership roles but doesn't emphasize female empowerment or challenge gender norms.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Call Me Lucky?

Fair

The movie looks at the professional world of the 1970s and 80s. While it doesn't highlight non-white populations, it suggests a growing diversity in comedy through the younger generation.

How does Call Me Lucky represent religion and culture?

Good

The documentary shines in its critique of established institutions and traditional societal norms. It honors Crimmins' political anger as a reaction to systemic issues and childhood trauma.

Does Call Me Lucky include disability representation?

Good

The film provides a detailed look at the psychological impact of trauma. It treats mental health as a core part of identity rather than just a plot element.

Present on Screen

Offers a thoughtful, non-exploitative look at the psychological impacts of trauma.
Critiques traditional social and institutional structures through an anti-establishment viewpoint.
Validates the experiences of underrepresented subcultures within the comedy scene.

Limited or Absent

Doesn't emphasize female empowerment or challenge gender norms.
Lacks explicit representation of diverse racial and ethnic identities.
Doesn't depict queer identities or same-sex intimacy directly.

Official Synopsis

An inspiring, triumphant and wickedly funny portrait of one of comedy’s most enigmatic and important figures, CALL ME LUCKY tells the story of Barry Crimmins, a beer-swilling, politically outspoken and whip-smart comic whose efforts in the 70s and 80s fostered the talents of the next generation of standup comedians. But beneath Crimmins’ gruff, hard-drinking, curmudgeonly persona lay an undercurrent of rage stemming from his long-suppressed and horrific abuse as a child – a rage that eventually found its way out of the comedy clubs and television shows and into the political arena.

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