• Latest
  • Trending
Sad Jokes Review

Sad Jokes Review: A Triumph of Nuanced Storytelling

Without a Dawn Review

Without a Dawn Review: Introspection in a Cabin of Shadows

The Correspondent Review

The Correspondent Review: Richard Roxburgh’s Tour de Force

Bogieville Review

Bogieville Review: Low-Budget Ingenuity and Flawed Execution

Slow Horses

Slow Horses Rides Back on 24 September With Season 5

5 hours ago
A Minecraft Movie

SXSW Panel Reveals How Minecraft Movie Crafted a $948 M Blockbuster

5 hours ago
Ollie Madden

Netflix Poaches Film4 Chief Ollie Madden to Supercharge U.K. Movie Slate

5 hours ago
Mariska Hargitay

Hargitay’s ‘My Mom Jayne’ Lifts the Curtain on a Hollywood Tragedy

6 hours ago
Aureole – Wings of Hope Review

Aureole – Wings of Hope Review: Precision Platforming with a Divine Twist

Coastal Review

Coastal Review: Intimate Performances, Tepid Momentum

The Dark Money Game

The Dark Money Game Review: How Secret Funds Warped Democracy

Call of the Void Review

Call of the Void Review: Atmospheric Chills and Lingering Questions

Dovey's Promise Review

Dovey’s Promise Review: One Woman’s Stand Against Injustice

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Gazettely Review Guidelines
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
GAZETTELY
  • Home
  • Movie and TV News
    Slow Horses

    Slow Horses Rides Back on 24 September With Season 5

    A Minecraft Movie

    SXSW Panel Reveals How Minecraft Movie Crafted a $948 M Blockbuster

    Ollie Madden

    Netflix Poaches Film4 Chief Ollie Madden to Supercharge U.K. Movie Slate

    Mariska Hargitay

    Hargitay’s ‘My Mom Jayne’ Lifts the Curtain on a Hollywood Tragedy

    frankenstein 2025

    Fans Push for Big-Screen Run After Netflix Drops Frankenstein Teaser

    Blake Lively Justin Baldoni

    Judge Faces New Twist as Lively Seeks to Trim Lawsuit Against Baldoni

    Jacob Elordi

    Elordi’s POW Drama Leads to Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights

    Paramount

    Paramount Sets July 2 Shareholder Meeting as Skydance Vote Looms

    Maggie Lawson

    Psych Alum Maggie Lawson to Lead CBS’s Boston Blue

  • Movie and TV Reviews
    The Correspondent Review

    The Correspondent Review: Richard Roxburgh’s Tour de Force

    Bogieville Review

    Bogieville Review: Low-Budget Ingenuity and Flawed Execution

    Coastal Review

    Coastal Review: Intimate Performances, Tepid Momentum

    The Dark Money Game

    The Dark Money Game Review: How Secret Funds Warped Democracy

    Call of the Void Review

    Call of the Void Review: Atmospheric Chills and Lingering Questions

    Dovey's Promise Review

    Dovey’s Promise Review: One Woman’s Stand Against Injustice

    The Balcony Movie Review

    The Balcony Movie Review: A Philosophical Perch on Human Transience

    What It Feels Like for a Girl Season 1 Review

    What It Feels Like for a Girl Season 1 Review: Before Trans Visibility Had a Name

    Bullet Train Explosion Review

    Bullet Train Explosion Review: Bureaucracy, Bombs, and the Weight of Duty

  • Game Reviews
    Without a Dawn Review

    Without a Dawn Review: Introspection in a Cabin of Shadows

    Aureole – Wings of Hope Review

    Aureole – Wings of Hope Review: Precision Platforming with a Divine Twist

    Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Brushes with Death Review

    Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Brushes with Death Review: A Painter’s Tale in Bohemia

    Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo Review

    Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo Review: Guiding Spirits with Style and Sincerity

    Blacksmith Master Review

    Blacksmith Master Review: The Satisfying Grind of Metal and Management

    Labyrinth Of The Demon King Review

    Labyrinth Of The Demon King Review: Unforgiving, Unforgettable Horror

    Cubic Odyssey Review

    Cubic Odyssey Review: An Ambitious Architect’s Space Dream

    Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review

    Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review: A Song of Systems and Sorrows

    To a T Review

    To a T Review: Finding Perfection in an Imperfect Shape

  • The Bests
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Movie and TV News
    Slow Horses

    Slow Horses Rides Back on 24 September With Season 5

    A Minecraft Movie

    SXSW Panel Reveals How Minecraft Movie Crafted a $948 M Blockbuster

    Ollie Madden

    Netflix Poaches Film4 Chief Ollie Madden to Supercharge U.K. Movie Slate

    Mariska Hargitay

    Hargitay’s ‘My Mom Jayne’ Lifts the Curtain on a Hollywood Tragedy

    frankenstein 2025

    Fans Push for Big-Screen Run After Netflix Drops Frankenstein Teaser

    Blake Lively Justin Baldoni

    Judge Faces New Twist as Lively Seeks to Trim Lawsuit Against Baldoni

    Jacob Elordi

    Elordi’s POW Drama Leads to Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights

    Paramount

    Paramount Sets July 2 Shareholder Meeting as Skydance Vote Looms

    Maggie Lawson

    Psych Alum Maggie Lawson to Lead CBS’s Boston Blue

  • Movie and TV Reviews
    The Correspondent Review

    The Correspondent Review: Richard Roxburgh’s Tour de Force

    Bogieville Review

    Bogieville Review: Low-Budget Ingenuity and Flawed Execution

    Coastal Review

    Coastal Review: Intimate Performances, Tepid Momentum

    The Dark Money Game

    The Dark Money Game Review: How Secret Funds Warped Democracy

    Call of the Void Review

    Call of the Void Review: Atmospheric Chills and Lingering Questions

    Dovey's Promise Review

    Dovey’s Promise Review: One Woman’s Stand Against Injustice

    The Balcony Movie Review

    The Balcony Movie Review: A Philosophical Perch on Human Transience

    What It Feels Like for a Girl Season 1 Review

    What It Feels Like for a Girl Season 1 Review: Before Trans Visibility Had a Name

    Bullet Train Explosion Review

    Bullet Train Explosion Review: Bureaucracy, Bombs, and the Weight of Duty

  • Game Reviews
    Without a Dawn Review

    Without a Dawn Review: Introspection in a Cabin of Shadows

    Aureole – Wings of Hope Review

    Aureole – Wings of Hope Review: Precision Platforming with a Divine Twist

    Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Brushes with Death Review

    Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Brushes with Death Review: A Painter’s Tale in Bohemia

    Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo Review

    Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo Review: Guiding Spirits with Style and Sincerity

    Blacksmith Master Review

    Blacksmith Master Review: The Satisfying Grind of Metal and Management

    Labyrinth Of The Demon King Review

    Labyrinth Of The Demon King Review: Unforgiving, Unforgettable Horror

    Cubic Odyssey Review

    Cubic Odyssey Review: An Ambitious Architect’s Space Dream

    Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review

    Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review: A Song of Systems and Sorrows

    To a T Review

    To a T Review: Finding Perfection in an Imperfect Shape

  • The Bests
No Result
View All Result
GAZETTELY
No Result
View All Result
Sad Jokes Review

One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit Review - An Intimate Look at Lives in Recovery

Denis Villeneuve Provides Update on 'Dune: Messiah', Signals End of His Involvement with Franchise

Home Entertainment Movies

Sad Jokes Review: A Triumph of Nuanced Storytelling

Stumm's Sophomore Effort is a Standout

Naser Nahandian by Naser Nahandian
9 months ago
in Entertainment, Movies, Reviews
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on WhatsAppShare on Telegram

Fabian Stumm first caught attention with his debut feature, Bones and Names, at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2023. His sophomore film Sad Jokes as a filmmaker and leading man premiered to acclaim at the Munich Film Festival, where Stumm took home Best Director.

In Sad Jokes, Stumm stars as Joseph, a director working on his next project while co-parenting a young son with his close friend Sonya, who is struggling with mental illness.

The film explores Joseph’s journey of creating art from life’s difficulties and finding humor even in humanity’s darkest moments. Through Joseph, Sad Jokes meditates on the limitless ways creativity can blossom from life’s challenges.

This review will discuss the film’s resonant themes, Stumm’s skillful execution, and moving character portraits that have audiences discussing this insightful work.

Characters at the heart

The film follows director Joseph through profound challenges in his work and personal life. Still processing a breakup from years past, Joseph sets out to create a new film—an absurdist comedy—though he struggles to define his vision. We also see him as a devoted father to his young son, Pino. He co-parents with close friend Sonya, who faces her own difficulties with mental illness.

Joseph pours deep passion into his films but questions his identity along the way. He clearly adores Pino but stumbles at times parenting solo. In Sonya, we find a kind soul hindered by depression—she loves her son fiercely through it all. When hospitalization separates her from Pino, it pains them both while forcing Joseph to support them wholly.

Minor characters still leave strong impressions. Joseph’s ex-Marc appears briefly yet conveys their history’s lasting impact. And Elin, Joseph’s art teacher, shares his zeal for creative expression—her scenes showcase hidden reserves of feeling.

Throughout, Stumm fleshes out these characters with subtle mastery. In Joseph, we encounter layers of desire, doubt, and devotion wrapped in one man. Sonya embraces darkness and light in equal measure. Together, their bond and its strain under hardship drive the narrative while cultivating our care for them both. With deft characterization, Stumm explores what it means to be human—and uniquely so.

Subtle Mastery Behind the Lens

Fabian Stumm proves a deft director through his handling of tone and talent. Partnering again with Michael Bennett, muted visuals heighten emotion. Static shots within calm, naturally lit frames let moments breathe—we focus on feelings fully exposed.

Sad Jokes Review

Stumm navigates comedy and drama with a nuanced touch. His actors flourish, whether laying bare sorrow or finding humor in life’s flaws. In one scene, a woman’s amusingly unbroken spirit lightens suffering. Yet Stumm grants his greatest emotive feat not to himself but to Elin, as her passionate speech stops us in our tracks.

Complex feelings require complex tones, and Stumm blends them seamlessly. His decisions feel unshowy yet profound. One scene startles with laughter, the next distills complex grief—all flow together to broaden our notion of “sad comedy.”

Stumm and Bennett imbue ordinary existences with artful grace. Their refined, observational style places us amid lives in delicate balance. We feel at ease yet invested, and the film’s intimate realism resonates long after. Through subtle mastery of visual and visceral, Stumm stimulates thoughtful discourse on life’s interwoven absurdities and depths.

Meaning Within the Madness

Fabian Stumm crafts Sad Jokes to tackle deep themes through its primary focus on absurdity. At its heart lies an interrogation into where comedy meets catastrophe in the human experience.

Sad Jokes Review

Parenting crops up constantly as Joseph cares for his son while Sonia receives help. Through their dynamic, Stumm exposes raising children as joyful yet stressful. He similarly handles mental health with nuance, showing its complexity rather than mere tragedy.

Joseph’s queer past demonstrates how relationships evolve through both connection and division over time. While his artistry remains in flux, Elin exhibits creative passion, persevering. Their scenes illustrate probing one’s purpose despite uncertainty.

Underpinning the narrative are timeless questions about finding mirth despite life’s miseries. Stumm invites us to self-reflect on where exactly absurdity and agony collide within our own lives.

Through Joseph’s meta-film, Stumm also ponders the challenges of any vocation wherein external definitions conflict with internal visions. He portrays the artistic spirit as curious, stubborn, and forever shaping identity through persevering observation of all existence entails.

With subtle skill, Sad Jokes excavates profound layers of meaning within moments that sparkle with madness or cut close to the bone. Stumm elevates thequotidian by capturing humanity in all its contradictions.

Acting from the Heart

Fabian Stumm knows talent behind the camera surely translates on screen. As Joseph, his nuanced work anchors the film. Stumm infuses every glance with layers of longing, doubt, and care.

Sad Jokes Review

Haley Louise Jones makes the most of her role as Sonya. She weighs each line with a soul-deep weariness yet flashes Sonia’s fiercest love shining through. Her striking work lingers long after.

Jonas Dassler appears briefly as Joseph’s ex-Marc yet speaks volumes of their history. Dassler’s prized subtlety leaves us feeling Marc’s profound and bittersweet impact on the man Joseph became.

Ulrica Flach astonishes in her debut as passionate teacher Elin. Especially her Joan of Arc monologue stops the breath with its bold, raw feeling. Flach demonstrates a performer of rare authenticity.

Stumm clearly cherishes these skilled actors, let alone his own talent, crafting a lived-in world through ensemble work. Together they breathe soul into Sad Jokes, making its examination of the human condition feel deeply familiar.

Moments That Resonate

Fabian Stumm crafts scenes that burrow deep beneath the skin. In one, Joseph goes on a date, but their intimacy faces disruption by an unexpected visitor—Joseph’s son Pino. During raw emotion’s swell, this fleeting moment’s bittersweet comedy and pathos emerge.

Sad Jokes Review

Another sees Joseph and Pino choosing a movie with Sonya’s state freshly darkened. Shots linger in tight close-ups as their bond’s fragility comes to the fore. Stumm wields stillness to pierce our souls.

When Joseph’s hand becomes stuck in the in the vending machine, we experience each absurd discovery alongside him in unbroken real-time flow. Music and blocking elicit perfect yuks counterpoised with realizations of lives’ intractable bumps.

Stylistic decisions here go deeper than surface laughs—they probe relationships’ complexities and need wrestling within creative spirits. Stumm crafts scenes stimulating both smiles and contemplation, ever widening this tragicomedy’s grasp and our connection to characters coping with realities most profound.

His cinematic nuance enlivens inquiries into artistic drives, psychiatric shadows, and life’s interlaced absurdities and joys. Specific sequences resonate with blissful poignancy through a deft feel for drama, wit, and what makes us fully human.

Resonating humanity

Through his intimate portrait of artistic spirit in Sad Jokes, Fabian Stumm crafts a profoundly impactful examination of life’s interwoven absurdities and sorrows. While not every narrative strand concludes perfectly, the emotional voyage stays long in the mind.

Sad Jokes Review

Stumm affirms himself a singular filmmaking voice, guiding viewers through Joseph’s world with care and creative ingenuity. His skill invites us to reconsider where within ourselves we find both mirth and melancholia.

Standout performances inhabited by humanity in all its glorious contradictions burrow beneath the skin. Even after credits roll, their visceral humanity and the film’s rich themes of care, loss, and purpose continue sparking thought.

Any lover of cinema seeking meaningful portraits they can relate to should seek out this accomplished work. Sad Jokes stimulates discussion on the limitless ways creativity emerges from existence’s complexities. It reminds us that even in our darkest moments, persevering compassion endures.

The Review

Sad Jokes

9 Score

Through sensitive storytelling and masterful direction, Fabian Stumm crafts a poignant examination of the profound yet fleeting absurdities of the human condition in Sad Jokes. This accomplished work resonates long after with its compelling characters, sharp wit, and meditations on persevering creativity and connection.

PROS

  • Nuanced performances from the entire cast, especially Stumm and Jones
  • Deeply felt emotional resonances and examines profound themes
  • Stumm's direction is subtle yet powerfully effective.
  • Beautifully captured the difficulties of relationships and mental health.

CONS

  • Plot construction is somewhat disjointed at times.
  • Comedy elements aren't perfectly balanced with drama.
  • Not all character arcs are fully resolved by the end.

Review Breakdown

  • Overall 0
Tags: ComedyDramaFabian StummFeaturedGodehard GieseHaley Louise JonesJonas DasslerSad Jokes
Previous Post

One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit Review – An Intimate Look at Lives in Recovery

Next Post

Denis Villeneuve Provides Update on ‘Dune: Messiah’, Signals End of His Involvement with Franchise

Discussion about this post

Try AI Movie Recommender

Gazettely AI Movie Recommender

This Week's Top Reads

  • Mountainhead Review

    Mountainhead Review: Deepfakes and Deep Trouble

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Boglands Review: Shadows and Whispers in the Irish Mist

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Death Valley Review: A Witty Welsh Wander into Cosy Crime

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Review – Bridging Eras with Spellbinding Charm

    25 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Better Sister Season 1 Review: Not Quite a Killer Thriller

    16 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • MobLand Season 1 Review: Family Ties and Underworld Intrigues

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nine Puzzles Season 1 Review: Puzzle Pieces, Pain, and Police Procedurals

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Must Read Articles

Bullet Train Explosion Review
Movies

Bullet Train Explosion Review: Bureaucracy, Bombs, and the Weight of Duty

21 hours ago
Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review
Reviews Games

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Review: A Song of Systems and Sorrows

3 days ago
Stick Season 1 Review
TV Shows

Stick Season 1 Review: Owen Wilson Drives a Heartfelt, Flawed Dramedy

3 days ago
Destination X Review
Entertainment

Destination X Review: A Game of Veiled Realities

4 days ago
Earnhardt Review
Entertainment

Earnhardt Review: The Anatomy of a NASCAR Titan

4 days ago
Loading poll ...
Coming Soon
Who is the best director in the horror thriller genre?

Gazettely is your go-to destination for all things gaming, movies, and TV. With fresh reviews, trending articles, and editor picks, we help you stay informed and entertained.

© 2021-2024 All Rights Reserved for Gazettely

What’s Inside

  • Movie & TV Reviews
  • Game Reviews
  • Featured Articles
  • Latest News
  • Editorial Picks

Quick Links

  • Home
  • About US
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Review Guidelines

Follow Us

Facebook X-twitter Youtube Instagram
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Movies
  • Entertainment News
  • Movie and TV Reviews
  • TV Shows
  • Game News
  • Game Reviews
  • Contact Us

© 2024 All Rights Reserved for Gazettely

Go to mobile version