The Movie Guy

When I was growing up, my father rarely took us to the movies. If he went, it was at my mother’s insistence and, once inside the theater, he would fall asleep. And snore. Loudly.

Just as the Greeks and Shakespeare knew, comedy stems from tragedy. Judd Apatow (“Knocked Up,” “The 40 Year-Old Virgin”) knows it too. After fashioning a real-life based romantic comedy and starring vehicle for comic Amy Schumer in “Trainwreck,” he does the same for SNL’s Pete Davidson. Giving Davidson the lead role in his new film “The King of Staten Island” and using the real-life tragedy of Davidson’s firefighter father’s death as a springboard, Apatow imperceptibly creates comedic gold. With all of Apatow’s (and Staten Island’s) trademark sarcasm and cynicism, it’s one of the best films you’ll see this year and it’s available on demand.