By Jeffrey M. Anderson , based on child development research. How do we rate?
Indie about aspiring stand-up comic is both sweet and salty.
Parents need to know that The Opening Act is an indie dramedy about a young man (Jimmy O. Yang) who dreams of being a stand-up comic and gets a chance to prove himself. More earnest than funny, the movie is quietly effective and character driven, though strong language and other iffy content make it most…
Extremely strong language throughout, including "f--k," "s--t," the "N" word, "p
Sex, Romance & NudityWoman performs simulated oral sex on a man; it's mostly off-screen/obscured, wit
Violence & ScarinessCharacter with bruised face explains that he was punched by a cop. In a montage
Drinking, Drugs & SmokingMinor characters are very drunk. Background social drinking in clubs. Reference
Products & PurchasesMention of Instagram.
Movie is mainly about not giving up on your dream -- not only learning how to ig
Positive Role ModelsAside from some comical misbehavior, Will is a genuinely good guy and offers a p
Extremely strong language throughout, including "f--k," "s--t," the "N" word, "p---y," "a--hole," "bitch," "d--k," "d--khole," plus "oh God," "oh my God," and "Christ" used as exclamations.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Woman performs simulated oral sex on a man; it's mostly off-screen/obscured, with nothing graphic shown. Woman with phallus-shaped cup at bachelorette party. Suggestion of cheating on significant others (not followed through). Some sex-related talk. Kissing.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Character with bruised face explains that he was punched by a cop. In a montage sequence, a child's mother is shown to have cancer; another shot appears to take place at her funeral.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Minor characters are very drunk. Background social drinking in clubs. Reference to "doing blow." Other drug references.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Movie is mainly about not giving up on your dream -- not only learning how to ignore people who say you can't, but also figuring out how to follow the dream, doing it for the right reasons.
Aside from some comical misbehavior, Will is a genuinely good guy and offers a positive Asian representation. A female stand-up comic stands out as an exception to what's usually a "boys' club." Diversity within cast.
Parents need to know that The Opening Act is an indie dramedy about a young man (Jimmy O. Yang) who dreams of being a stand-up comic and gets a chance to prove himself. More earnest than funny, the movie is quietly effective and character driven, though strong language and other iffy content make it most appropriate for mature audiences. The language is extremely salty and nearly constant, with uses of "f--k," "s--t," the "N" word, "a--hole," and more. There are also some strong sexual references, the suggestion of cheating, kissing, and a phallus-shaped cup. A woman performs simulated oral sex on a man, though it's mostly off-screen or obscured from view (nothing graphic is seen). Characters drink socially, and minor characters get quite drunk. There are also some drug references. A man with a bruised face explains that he was "punched by a cop." A montage depicts a child's mother dying of cancer. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
The Opening Act
Official trailer
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
In THE OPENING ACT, Will (Jimmy O. Yang) has grown up watching stand-up comedy with his father and now dreams of becoming a comic himself. But he's reached a standstill performing open mic nights, unable to move up. When his friend Quinn (Ken Jeong) offers him the chance to emcee a big-time show, Will quits his awful job in an insurance firm, risking everything on this one shot. Even better, his hero, Billy G (Cedric the Entertainer), is the headliner. But Will is paired for the weekend with warm-up act Chris (Alex Moffat), who likes to party and pick up women, and Will immediately stumbles into some bad luck and loses his confidence. Can he get it back before Sunday night, or will he give up on his dream?
This indie drama features several comedians in roles of all kinds, but, oddly, it has very few laughs; still, it works in its own quiet way, with touching characters and a fascinating setting. Comedian Steve Byrne makes his feature writing and directing debut with The Opening Act, and it's a refreshingly simple story about whether or not to give up on your dream. In the lead role, Yang has a sweet presence -- perhaps a little too sweet to handle zany situations like being trapped under a cop's girlfriend's trailer or accidentally taking the last chocolate eclair belonging to a local DJ.
When it's not trying too hard with ridiculous asides like those, The Opening Act really captures a realistic feeling of what it might be like to work in a club. Comics are either very specific about their introductions or very vague ("from clubs and colleges"), and we learn never to try out new jokes on a Saturday night. Other comics, from SNL's Moffat to veteran stand-ups like Cedric, Jeong, Whitney Cummings, and others, perform their bits as if they were at work, on the job, and not concerned about making the movie's viewers laugh, which makes them more human. Bill Burr may have the best shot at tickling funnybones -- not as a comedian, but in the silly role of Will's awful boss, spouting inspirational quotes and leaving the last word blank.
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
The Opening ActYour privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy .
