Pete Davidson: Alive from New York (2020)

Streaming Service: Netflix

Movie Name/Year: Pete Davidson: Alive from New York (2020)

Genre: Comedy

Length: 49 minutes

Rating: TV-MA

Production/Distribution: Comedy Dynamics, Netflix Studios, Netflix

Director: Jason Orley

Writer: Pete Davidson

Actors: Pete Davidson

Blurb from IMDb: Comedian Pete Davidson's intimate and candid stand-up special shot live in New York City.

Selina’s Point of View:

I’ve really been looking forward to seeing a stand-up set with Pete Davidson (Trainwreck, The Dirt, The King of Staten Island).

My first exposure to Davidson was in Set it Up (2018), and he was part of my favorite scene in the entire movie. Actually, one of my top five favorite scenes in any comedy ever (if only one favorite was allowed from any given movie). If you look back at my review from that film, I gush about it, and him, at length. The comedic timing was just fucking brilliant.

Now, I know most people know him from Saturday Night Live (1975-) or from the tabloids, but I don’t. As much as I enjoy Saturday Night Live when I happen to come across it, I don’t ever seek it out and I really don’t give any fucks about the personal lives of celebrities. It’s impossible to not know about the Ariana Grande thing, it was plastered everywhere, but I didn’t care enough to pay any real attention to it.

What that means for my review here: I went into this stand-up special with the only expectation I have for Davidson being that one insanely funny scene from Set it Up. Expectations were HIGH.

Maybe as a result of that, I found the special to be hit or miss.

Nothing about the beginning really resonated with me. I just wasn’t a fan of the way he told the starting jokes. Maybe he was nervous, maybe it just wasn’t for me. I can’t really put my finger on it, but I didn’t enjoy it.

I almost wrote off the entire special, but then he started getting into more personal stories, and it picked up a lot. I loved his bits about the Dan Crenshaw issue and his dad. Even most of his stuff about what went down between him and Grande was very well done.

By the end of the special, I was feeling it. I was laughing and enjoying his stories, even during the more morbid parts. Maybe he loosened up, or maybe he was just more connected to those stories. I don’t know what the situation was, but I finished the special in a good mood.

I’d recommend Pete Davidson: Alive from New York to the less politically correct of us. I prefer to be offended by my comedy. If there’s no edge, I’m not interested. So, if you feel the same – go for it.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 40%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 61%

Metascore – 53/100

Metacritic User Score – None

IMDB Score – 5.9/10

CinemaScore – None

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3.5/5

P.S. There is an after-credits scene that’s worth it.

Movie Trailer: