Written and directed by the up and coming stand up comic Cameron Smith, ‘The Loneliest Boy on Earth’ is a biography documentary that centres on Smith’s goals and vulnerabilities. An introspective journey that explains his tumultuous relationship with love, the film presents Smith front and centre like never before in a perspective that borders on the absurd.
A mix of biography, commentary and self-mockery, The Loneliest Boy on Earth hits the ground running and never lets it foot off the pedal. Smith quickly explains his past and how he got here; his offensive comedy is hard hitting and yet symptomatic of a man unsure of how to combat his weaknesses. The fact that Smith lays his shortcomings out there for the entire world to see is courageous in its own right and the documentary does well to show Smith is willing to face his demons head on.
Meshing a bit of self-promotion with a hefty dose of self-reflection, the film is a raw, unsettling, and unflinchingly honest glimpse into the modern loneliness epidemic through the eyes of one young man. The current generation of youth – despite unprecedented global connectivity – has never felt so alone. Overwhelmed by the consistent arrivals of one global catastrophe after another, this generation has chosen to retreat within themselves affecting everything from love to socialisation in the process. The impact of this on societies has been devastating and the far reaching consequences of this will be felt decades into the future. Cameron, through showing his own ordeal, hopes that the audience will take notice of this as he shows what it truly means to be alone in an age of unprecedented global connectivity.
This leads us to Cameron’s pursuit of love, or lack thereof. Like all young men out there, Cameron is entranced by lovely ladies but cant seem to cultivate a stable relationship. Sometimes his passion for standup comedy gets in the way and sometimes there are other issues, but the fact of the matter remains Cameron is still looking for ‘the one’ when the documentary ends. As his relationships begin to fail, Cameron starts to wonder if the only thing wrong is him? Highlighting the complex nature of love in today’s cold and unnerving world, the film is as much a highlight of Cameron struggling in love as it is an example of his fantastic stand up talent.
From a technical perspective, the documentary is fantastic. Its pacing is perfect and that is saying something since its runtime is around a whopping 160 minutes. Cameron, who both directed and edited the film, knows when to use levity and when to go a little serious. Thus, the film whizzes by in a flash and not a moment in here feels boring or contrived. The fantastic pacing works well with the cinematography that mixes quite a few themes masterfully. There is Smith’s actual footage of doing standup comedy combined with routines that he wrote and shot specifically for this film. Equally impressive is the sound design of the production which not only adds a layer of authenticity to the story but also aids in the narrative as well, helping convey a range of emotions that the central character is going through as the story progresses.
While most of the film focuses on Cameron’s inadequacies and how he uses humour to mask his weaknesses, the film manages to end on a strong note. Through trials and tribulations, Cameron finds himself closer to God and thus, manages to find the perseverance to never give up. Vowing to continue till he realises his dreams and manages to find the one girl he would want to marry, Cameron sets his sights on greater things to come. If the talent on display here is anything to go by, we know he will reach these goals quite easily. Thus, The Loneliest Boy on Earth is both Cameron Smith’s interrogation and his greatest triumph. The film is a masterclass in how any standup comic should introduce himself to the world and this witty, charming, sad and ultimately inspiring story manages to stand apart from the crowd quite easily. We loved every moment of The Loneliest Boy on Earth and recommend the film to all who want to see something different in a time where most films are monotonous, mundane and copies of copies of copies.
