Although Jo Jo Dancer has achieved success as a stand-up comedian, he hasn't found happiness. After receiving severe burns in a narcotics-related incident, Jo Jo remains in a coma, and, while in this state, he looks back on his life. Drifting off into memories of his troubled childhood, Jo Jo revisits his youth, recalling his eventual rise to fame and the decadence that followed. As he considers his existence, he must decide if he wants to go on living or not.
Acting
Pryor plays himself, his alter ego, and his own grandmother. Unhinged.
Direction
Pryor directing his own near-death experience. Messy, brave, unmistakably personal.
Writing
Comedy routines weaponized as narrative structure.
Director
Richard Pryor
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Pryor actually did light himself on fire in 1980 while freebasing cocaine; the film recreates this with medical accuracy from his hospital records.
Released during Pryor's 'clean' period, the film bombed because audiences wanted funny Pryor, not dying Pryor. Hollywood wasn't ready for Black auto-fiction.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
