“A gentle and effortlessly likable comedy about family, community and the gift of being given the chance to start over.”

For those who have been paying attention it should not come as a surprise that Jordan Firstman is one of the most exciting young voices in contemporary queer cinema. Whether your first encounter with him was through his short-form content on social media or his sizable supporting role in Rotting in the Sun, where he lampooned influencer culture in a bitingly funny satire, he has proven to be a fascinating artistic presence and someone who has amassed quite an impressive following over the years. He has been circling around bringing his skills behind the camera at some point, which has now resulted in the arrival of Club Kid, his feature directorial debut, in which he tackles a number of challenging themes while still retaining the unique energy that has always informed his work over the years. This is the story of Peter, a former “club kid” who has now been forced to reckon with the consequences of a wild, reckless lifestyle in which he was in perpetual search for ways to hold onto his youth. Discovering that he has fathered a young son who is now thrust into his care is a familiar concept, but one that Firstman uses as the foundation for a deeply moving and often very funny exploration of fatherhood, youth and the tendency of life to bring sudden change when we least expect it.

Firstman is someone who implicitly understands his audience and their interests, while also having the ability to introduce these core ideas to a wider audience, giving his work crossover appeal. Club Kid is a perfect example of this in practice, since while it is certainly driven by a firm knowledge of contemporary trends (to the point where those outside the core demographic may miss out on some of the more obscure jokes and references), the story is rooted in something far more recognisable. Several different elements go into the construction of this story, but the heart of the film is built around the theme of fatherhood, telling a relatively simple tale of a man who doesn’t realise that he is no longer in his prime. This becomes abundantly clear when he is suddenly entrusted with caring for a child, and in the process learns what it truly means to be an adult. It is not dissimilar to other films that explore the same territory, but considering family is one of the most universal subjects in art, we can understand the decision to use this premise as the starting point for a moving glimpse into the trials and tribulations of a man learning some difficult lessons while also discovering the unexpected joys of taking responsibility for his own life.  

Club Kid is a film that contains some deeper commentary concealed under what appears to be a simple, well-meaning comedy. Firstman is clearly still developing his skills as a filmmaker, but even in this debut he proves to be someone worth observing, based on how he approaches the subject matter. The film walks a very narrow line between tonal elements, since a more flippant comedy would feel like it was trivializing the real challenges at the heart of the story, while something more heavy-handed and dramatic would have veered towards the saccharine. The director follows a traditional narrative structure, the story being developed with slightly more conventional techniques; understandable for a film that intends to observe more than persuade. It’s a relatively unfurnished, straightforward work that focuses more on authenticity than trying to be overly innovative, and in the process is able to make some intriguing observations on the themes of fatherhood, youth and the burden of living a life in which regrets tend to accumulate. You might expect this to lead to a film that becomes overwrought with emotion, but at no point is Club Kid unnecessarily saccharine or manipulative, since every moment where we feel something seems entirely earned.

What ultimately brings everything together in Club Kid and informs its perspective more than anything else are the performances. Firstman is a skilled writer and evidently has a strong directorial vision, but he doesn’t neglect to highlight his own talents as an on-screen presence. It is not his first foray into acting, but it is one that requires more from him than ever before, especially since this is his first prominent leading role after a few years of supporting parts in film and television, where he proved to be a strong performer. Here, he delivers a stellar performance that is far more complex than we’d expect, juggling the various elements of this character with a precise attention to detail and an abundance of sincerity. He’s joined by newcomer Reggie Absolom, who is a natural talent; he is not only able to hold his own against a cast of slightly more experienced actors (which also includes more established names like Cara Delevingne and Diego Calva, both of whom are integral to the plot), but actively steals the film at various points. The two leads have extraordinary chemistry and play off one another in a way that fully convinces us of the father-son dynamic on which Club Kid is constructed.

Perhaps the film does lean into the cliché of the protagonist learning how to be an adult through interacting with a child, but Club Kid is nonetheless convincing and extremely charming.  Firstman seems to be growing into one of the essential voices of his generation, someone who has managed to go beyond the vapid boundaries of social media and influencer culture by being willing to satirize this portion of society without becoming mean-spirited or judgmental. His focus is on capturing a very specific energy through engaging with a modern sensibility that will be familiar to anyone who has spent time online, observing influencer culture and how it is a shallow existence driven by the hollow pursuit of something no one can ever truly achieve. The story of this film is essentially that of a young man seeking a more meaningful life, which comes as a result of a rude awakening that forces him to take responsibility. Defined by layers of warmth and some incredibly funny moments that provide the necessary balance of tones, Club Kid is a mature, fully realized debut that proves to be unexpectedly heartwarming and tender, a gentle and effortlessly likable comedy about family, community and the gift of being given the chance to start over.

(c) Image copyright: Adam Newport-Berra