“And I’m scared.”

From The King of Staten Island.

Ever since his firefighter father died in a fire seventeen years ago, Scott (Pete Davidson) has been unable to grieve and has been stuck in an endless self-loathing, immature cycle.  While Scott fits in with his drug-dealing friends, Oscar (Rickey Velez), Richie (Lou Wilson), Igor (Moisés Arias), Tara (Carly Aquilino), and his on-again-off-again girlfriend Kelsey (Bel Powley), he still finds himself often stuck in his head.  When his younger sister, Claire (Maude Apatow), heads off to college, Scott is left trying to live alone with his lonely mom, Margie (Marisa Tomei).  After tattooing a kid’s arm, the boy’s father, Ray (Bill Burr), shows up to confront Scott, but Margie and the divorced firefighter hit it off, and begin a secret-from-Scott relationship.  After deciding that Scott needs more responsibility in his life, Margie and Ray tell him that he’ll be walking Ray’s kids (Luke David Blumm and Alexis Rae Forlenza) to school while Ray works.  Angry that his mom is dating another firefighter, Scott tries to get them to break up; however, when Scott and Ray get into a fight, Margie kicks them both out.  Left with nowhere else to stay, Scott goes to Ray’s firehouse and asks the firefighters (including Steve Buscemi, Domenick Lombardozzi, Jimmy Tatro) if he can spend the night.  What was a last resort somehow morphs into Scott staying and working around the firehouse, and forced to face the painful absence of his father for the first time since childhood, Scott finally decides to push past his grief and give adulthood a try.

Loosely based on Davidson’s father’s death and his later struggles because of the loss, this film offers a heartfelt look at legacy and life after loss.  Davidson is captivating to watch and his awkwardness is the film’s driving force.  The somber theme of this comedy will be unappealing to some, but most will find The King of Staten Island to be a moving story full of heart.

| Rated: R | Running Time: 107 minutes |Genre: comedy/drama|

||Family Viewing||Cursing: 9* of 10|Nudity: 0 of 10|Sexuality: 2 of 10|Gore: 0 of 10

|AVAILABLE FOR HOME VIEWING|