The King of Staten Island: Post 9/11 Levity

Let me tell you a little story about a boy named Pete Davidson. Today he is known as one of the most popular comedians of the modern day as a major front runner on Saturday Night Live. He’s also co starred in major big screen hits like Trainwreck, The Suicide Squad and Fast X. But Pete Davidson’s life wasn’t always the party it is now. As a matter of fact, Pete Davidson’s upbringing was marred by tragedy. 13 years before Pete Davidson touched down in the land of Hollywood he lost his father Scott Davidson in the 9/11 attacks. In the year 2020, Pete and comedy filmmaker legend, Judd Apatow brought a story inspired by Pete’s life growing up in the aftermath of his father’s death in a new world known as post 9/11 titled “The King of Staten Island”.

“The King of Staten Island” follows the story of 24 year old slacker and tattoo artist , Scott Carlin and the aimless life he lives with his mother and little sister in Staten Island, New York. His father Stan was a firefighter who died in a fire fight when he was just seven years old. While Scott is navigating a life of quirky and dysfunctional relationships, his mother Margie portrayed by the charismatic Marissa Tomei starts forming a romantic bond with a firefighter who Scott had an ugly run in with named Ray Bishop, portrayed by comedy legend Bill Burr. As Scott struggles to accept his mother’s new bond with another firefighter, Scott is also forced to come to terms with the unaddressed trauma of his father’s death in a long awaited date with destiny.

There is so much brilliance to unpack with this film. First off the movie is carried by every single performance, especially that if Pete Davidson, Marissa Tomei and Bill Burr. With Judd Apatow and Pete Davidson himself as both the writers of this film and Apatow as the director, the movie does a great job at blending comedy with serious drama. Pete Davidson does a great job at focusing on the brotherhood of firefighter culture. He even pays tribute to his father by naming his main character after him.

The best quality of this film is how it tackles the subject of 9/11 without even directly addressing the events themselves. This movie is a post 9/11 film that focuses on the aftermath and impact of 9/11 on the lives of the loved ones who were left behind after the tragedy. While previous films about 9/11 like United 93 and World Trade Center did a great job of focusing on stories of the attack itself, The King of Staten Island is the film humanizes 9/11 more by highlighting the families and loved ones in a stand out manner that also reflects the societal impact of 9/11. How people were left in pain that carried over into relational issues and self imposed isolation and bad habits are the traits of many who were affected by the events of September 11th 2001.

I once heard someone say how more movies about with a hint comedy should be made, even in light of how serious, heart wrenching and graphic that the subject matter would be, the levity of a film like this one is a great way to drive home the impact that 9/11 has left on every day life, even in modern times 25 years later. I honestly believe that if Hollywood followed the lead of what Pete Davidson and Judd Apatow have dove with The King of Staten Island the understanding of why we should never forget September 11th 2001 would best be understood.

~Dedicated to the memory of Scott Davidson and every hero who gave their lives on September 11th 2001.