Called “the Picasso of our profession” by Jerry Seinfeld, Richard Pryor remains one of the most revered stand-up comedians of all time. In this loosely autobiographical film written and directed by Pryor, he plays JoJo Dancer a stand-up comedian trying to reconcile with his self-destructive behavior while recovering in the hospital from a drug related accident. Released six years after Pryor was hospitalized for accidentally burning himself in similar circumstances, the film showcases his remarkable ability to find humor in tragedy while offering a warning on the pitfalls of fame.
“Above all, Pryor emphasizes...Jo Jo’s elusive selfhood – the fundamental problem of what performers who feel fully alive only while onstage or on camera do with the rest of their time.” - Richard Brody, New Yorker