Main Cast: Jim Gaffigan, Michael Rispoli, Victor Varnado, Bart Shattuck, Glenn Rockowitz
Release Year: 2002
Country: US
Run Time: 93 minutes
Plot
A ragtag group of supremely unfunny comedians vie for a spot in an upcoming stand up comedy festival in the mocumentary style directorial debut of former Saturday Night Live and USA Up All Night contributor Glenn Rockowitz. The Diamond and Hutz talent agency is run by Lucius Diamond (Rockowitz) and Baxter Hutz (David G. Cohen) - two men who have no business being in the business of comedy. In addition to albino African-American male chauvinist Otis Jackson (Victor Varnando, Diamond and Hutz also represents such painfully unfunny comedians as wheelchair-bound wannabe funnyman Skully (Perry Wolberg), crude female comic Slappy (Angela Muto), age-of-consent eschewing Ed Sullivan impersonator John "Roachy" Galt (John Roach), and the Andy Kaufman-inspired conceptual comic Dhrupick (Mark Yuhasz). Upon learning of the upcoming Upstate Comedy Festival, the comically-challenged troupe enlists the aid of U.S. Comedy Corps head Arty Hittle (Jim Gaffigan) in preparing new material for the big show. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Hacks independent film written and directed by Glenn Rockowitz.
Plot summary
The story revolves around bad stand-up comedy performances by Jim Gaffigan, Michael Rispoli and Victor Varnado. The unlikely band of comics travel to a comedy & poultry festival in the country to exercise their art. Later, a follow-up gives a summary of how everyone has progressed since appearing at the festival, with differing levels of success. On the commercially released DVD (approx 83mins running time) the outakes section runs in tandem with the credits for around 5 minutes.
This film is a mocumentary shot in black & white but struggles to sit within any conventionally defined genre.
