The King of Comedy (1982)
Better to be king for a night than schmuck for a lifetime.
– Rupert Pupkin
I really enjoyed this movie, the acting was great and I actually laughed out loud at a few of the scenes, it was just so oddball but serious at the same time. If you’ve watched Joker then I recommend this, this movie was obviously a huge influence on Joker. The core plot of “failing comedian who lives with his mother and is unhealthily obsessed with a talk show host” is the same, but Joker is a lot darker obviously.
Still a relevant critique of American media, it’s kind of messed up that someone like Rupert Pupkin could do some insane things like this today and become a media star – look at Trump! The ending was amazing and could be interpreted in a couple of different ways as well, depending on how cynical you are and whether or not you believe Pupkin.