
A solid doc about the comedian who made some filthy decisions.
The following review tries to be respectful to the #MeToo era and those affected by the sexual misconduct. Read at your own risk.
Louis C.K. has made a name for himself in the comedy world from his brutally honest stage performances to his show “Louie” to his movie performances (“American Hustle,” “Blue Jasmine,” “The Secret Life of Pets,” etc.) to his flashy behavior which has tainted his career to a small comeback.
The New York Times bombshell report announced that five women accused the comedy star of sexual misconduct. Him making dirty comments and masturbating in front of them. And three more women spoke out. C.K. admitted the accusations were true. This has been part of the #MeToo era. The new documentary “Sorry/ Not Sorry” focuses on his inappropriate behavior and whether or not we’re ready to forgive him. And even though it’s not a throughly deep movie, it still makes some very important points about the comedian’s behavior and how people are affected by it.
A lot of his comedy regards to chocking the chicken, and even his directorial debut of “I Love You, Daddy” subjected to that kind of humor. And Chloe Grace Moretz played a young girl seduced by an older man played by John Malkovich in that film. The accusations have ultimately pulled this movie from theatrical release, although torrents have released it online. I never reviewed it, so please don’t ask.
When he makes a surprise visit at the Comedy Cellar in New York, it causes a polarized response between comedians, fans, and reporters, alike. He also scored some more stand-up comedy performances, and a portion of his fan base. And he won the GRAMMY for his comedy album “Sincerely Louis C.K,” which also garnered mixed reactions. But questions still arise. Did he come out too soon? Are they ready to forgive him yet or ever? And what is he really sorry for?
And there’s a thing called “Cancel Culture.” To be honest with you, I haven’t heard about those words until I saw this movie, and it began in 2010. It means that an individual’s behavior forces them to be fired, boycotted, or shunned, often thanks to social media. C.K. is no exceptions.
We also get some insight from comedians and journalists. Jen Kirkman (“Home Movies,” “Home Again”), for example, is a comedian who met C.K. in his early days. She was asked: “What if a guy asked you if he could jerk off in front of you, would you oppose that?” She had so many conflicting thoughts, even though it was part of a bit, but she made the right decision of not succumbing to that.
“Sorry/Not Sorry” doesn’t completely delve into the reactions and thoughts from these women, but they do have voices that need to be heard, and I respect anyone’s opinion of whether or not they forgive him or if his apologies have to be part of his new jokes. Directors Cara Mones and Caroline Sue (both involved with “Blackpink: Light Up the Sky”) respect those opinions, and they allow us to think about what the comedian has done and what he’s currently doing, and the polarizing responses in the mix.
And the movie closes with the message that C.K. didn’t reply to requests to comment or participate in the film. Maybe it’s probably for the best.
In Select Theaters and Streaming on VOD.
Categories: Documentary

