Flashing lights, thumping music and pounding bass — this is how viewers are brought into the world of “Club Kid,” A24’s newest release written by, directed by and starring Jordan Firstman. On Oct. 29 at the Avon Cinema, the Ivy Film Festival hosted an early screening of the hilarious and deeply emotional comedy-drama about a struggling father and son’s healing journey, set against the vibrant and messy realities of LGBTQ+ life.
The movie opens with a scene of a younger Peter (Firstman) and his friends at a party, using hard drugs while dancing and mingling with partygoers. When we next meet Peter 10 years later, he has hit rock bottom. Barely conscious and coherent, he is caught in an endless loop of drug abuse that leads him to be fired from his job as a club promoter by his business partner Sophie (Cara Delevingne). On this — the worst day of his life — Peter is met with an unexpected surprise when he returns to his apartment and finds his previously-unknown 10-year-old son Arlo (Reggie Absolom).
Arlo is Peter’s biological son from a drunk, forgotten club hookup with Arlo’s British mother, Leonora (Paris Petitjean). Edison, a friend of Leonora played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, delivers Arlo to Peter’s doorstep and explains that Leonora recently passed away. While Peter initially refuses to take Arlo in, Edison slips back to London, leaving the struggling and clueless Peter to look after his long-lost son.
With a British accent and impeccable music taste, Arlo instantly strikes the audience and works his way into our hearts. In Absolom’s movie debut, Arlo starts off as shy and painfully quiet, before growing into a playful, funny and spunky kid.
Firstman and Absolom have incredible chemistry in the film, creating a refreshing and wildly funny depiction of a father-son dynamic. In one scene, Peter and Arlo silently eat pizza until Arlo tells Peter he can’t eat dairy, leading to a chaotic episode in the bathroom. In another, Arlo shows off his love for Elliott Smith while they pick out vinyls at a local record store. The two take long walks along the boardwalk while joking and swearing, to the dismay of a passerby.
For the most part, we see moments of happiness and healing between Peter and Arlo, though the character development can feel flat or rushed at times. Arlo is mostly portrayed as a well-behaved and funny kid, with few scenes exploring his childhood trauma. Similarly, Peter almost instantly adopts the role of the responsible, sober adult, breaking out of his addiction with little relapse or struggle.
But while his character arcs could use some work, Firstman has a stellar ability to craft beloved supporting characters that shine in their own way. Saffron (Saturn Risin9) is a warm and motherly friend of Peter’s who acts as a constant support throughout the movie and even teaches Arlo to DJ. Nicky (Eldar Isgandarov) is Peter’s quirky, unemployed aspiring-philosopher roommate, who adds an element of laugh-out-loud comic relief to every scene.
“Club Kid” also stands out for its creative use of light and sound in the club sequences. The movie plays with colored lights that flash on and off, surrounding the audience in the darkness of the theater before illuminating the room, emulating the experience of chaotic, limited visibility in a real club. The soundtrack adds to the immersive club experience, featuring an upbeat mix of electronic, alternative and pop tracks.
“Club Kid” is without a doubt, classically Firstman: funny, emotional and centered on his queer identity. Firstman redefines the father-and-son movie on his own terms, creating a film that deals deeply with the struggles of addiction and queerness yet is ridiculously funny and passionately heartfelt.
