CRYING WITH LAUGHTER

Year: 2009
UK: The Britfilms Distribution Company
Cast: Stephen McCole, Malcolm Shields, Jo Hartley, Micaiah Dring, Tom Jude, Laura Keenan, Andrew Neil, Niall Greig Fulton
Director: Justin Molotnikov
Country: UK
UK: 93 mins
UK Certificate: 18 contains very strong references to sex and child abuse
UK Release Date: 16 April 2010 (Limited Release)


Synopsis

"A bad trip down memory lane."

A cocaine addict, facing eviction from his landlord and unable to cope with family commitments regarding his ex-wife and looking after their young daughter, Joey Frisk's (Stephen McCole) life is spiralling out of control both privately and professionally. A stand-up comic, he's facing the most important week of his career, as an American talent scout flies in to Edinburgh to check out his act.

Joey loses it during his act, and feeling under pressure threatens to kill the landlord in front of a captive audience. The following day Joey is arrested for Grievous Bodily Harm as his landlord is in hospital suffering from a fractured skull and the police have witnesses to the threats Joey made.

With no memory of what happened, he turns to Frank Archer (Malcolm Shields), a reacquainted friend for help. Having met at military school 25 years earlier, Frank invites him to stay at the home he shares with his much younger girlfriend Colette (Micaiah Dring). But as Joey finds out, friendship is the last thing on Frank's mind...