TIFF 2019 Review: My Life as a Comedian

When a former bully from high school appears at one of his shows, a world-famous comedian finds himself having to deal with some unresolved issues.

The past never seems all that faraway from comedian Juha Lindstrom who often reflects upon his youth with fondness; the perspective changes when the former leader of a group of high school kids that he was so desperate to join makes an unexpected visit backstage.  Things start to unravel as Lindstrom recalls the role that he played in causing the death of a classmate.

For someone who is a professional comedian, the adult Lindstrom comes across as really grumpy.   Whereas the teenager seems like the typical school kid who sacrifices his true friends in order to be accepted by those deemed to be cool.  The performance of Loke Hellberg displays more of a range as the young Juhn; there are times his posture reflects a conflicted emotion about the transpiring events. However, Johan Rheborg as the adult Juha feels like a one-note character.

Having the young Juhn appear in frame for some of the present-day scenes is an effective way of showcasing how the past is never quite far away for the adult.  There is golden twilight quality to the flashbacks which emphasizes the romanticized recalling of events. The conclusion makes sense but does not have the emotional impact that the narrative was building towards.