A24 unveiled today the trailer for Funny Pages, the feature film directorial debut of Owen Kline. Described by the production company as a bitingly funny coming-of-age story, the story centers around a teenage cartoonist who truly believes in his craft. This leads him to drop off from school — to his parents' desperation — and start pursuing his dream job. The movie is set to premiere in late August.
The trailer for Funny Pages reveals the kind of quirky indie comedy that we’ve all gotten to know and love over the years and it's always fun to watch: You’ve got the protagonist with an unorthodox job, the cast of colorful characters that surround him, and funny situations with just a tinge of melancholy lurking in the back. And, of course, the talented but secluded artist who has a lot to teach the main character.
The trailer also showcases the talent of main cast member Daniel Zolghadri (Tales From the Loop), who takes on the challenge of leading a comedy – which is never an easy feat. The young actor’s performance seems easy-going and relatable, everything you'd expect from a movie with this setting. In addition, the trailer for Funny Pages reveals that the movie will be a fun look into the cartoonist world, which is rarely depicted in movies.
If the director’s last name seems familiar, you won’t be too surprised to know he’s the son of Academy Award winner Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda) and Fast Times at Ridgemont High star Phoebe Cates. It’s no surprise that Kline (son) gets his inspiration from the indie comedy universe, especially considering that he acted in a handful of them when he was a kid: Kline starred in 2001’s The Anniversary Party and critically acclaimed Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and the Whale.
In an interview with ComicsBeat, Kline talked about his movie’s setting and why he chose it:
“I wanted to make a movie about a cartoonist, and the hermetic seal of a local comics shop. I wanted to be a cartoonist when I was younger so it was just fabric I was familiar with. I realized very quickly that having a few characters that were cartoonists was a fun thing to zero in on in terms of character detail. And I’d get to cast cartoonists of different styles for the characters to match their ideals. One very hopeful and un-self-aware character draws a crude Barks-inspired funny animal minicomic.”
The comedy also stars Matthew Maher (Captain Marvel), Miles Emanuel (Calidris), Maria Dizzia (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Josh Pais (Joker), Marcia DeBonis (Heels), and Ron Rifkin (Alias).
Funny Pages premieres in theaters on August 26. You can watch the trailer and check out the poster below:
