The Under 700 Club: 25 Sets (2019)

Thank you so much for letting me play with you.

The Under 700 Club: Reviews in under 700 words for movies with less than 700 logs on Letterboxd (log count as of this publication: 68)

I think that there are a number of people under the false impression that stand-up comedy is easy. Conceptually, it does seem simpler than playing the cello or standing en pointe. Just grab a microphone and say something funny. After all, just about everyone considers themselves funny. At least their buddies think so. And there's no shortage of terrible podcasts you can listen to and think, "Hey, I can do that!"

But the truth is, you can't. It's incredibly difficult. Select few are able to make it their livelihood, even fewer get to play arenas and shoot concert films. And because everyone has their own process, their own style, their own way of writing, and their own path, success is elusive.

That's why, in 2015, stand-up comic Aaron Berg decided to do something that would really put his name out there. He was well-respected by other comedians (he's praised by comedians like Judah Friedlander and Sal Vulcano at the top of the film), but after years of hustling in New York with no real success, no agent, and only a studio apartment to show for it, he attempted to break the world record for most comedy sets performed in one night. The documentary 25 Sets chronicles just that, his attempt to not-quite double the previous record of 13, set by Steve Byrne in 2003.

The comedy wasn't even the hardest part. Berg does a lot of crowd work, which means every show is different anyway, and seven minutes can fill up pretty quickly if you're good at reading people (there's a moment when he correctly guesses that an audience member was divorced and another when he asks a black guy if he has a "white guy name" - it's Thomas) and you've got enough material in your back pocket. The actual execution is the hardest part, making it from place to place, scheduling enough spots, starting around four in the afternoon and going until about three in the morning.

Berg is funny enough, but watching clips from 25 straight gigs can showcase the way that he repeats material. Physically, he's short, stone-cold muscled, and bald. When he refers to himself as Vin Diesel in front of a crowd, that's the first time they've heard him say that. And it is funny the first time. But it's not as funny the fourteenth time. His crowd work jokes about race, sex, and current events (it was 2015, so he's not shy to throw out BLM, Ferguson, or Baltimore jokes) probably played a little better in 2015.

But he'll be the first person to tell you that, "It's not very good stand-up, the stand-up I do now." Early in the documentary, he explains, "Really good stand-up is saying something and has a point of view. My stand-up is good in so far as it's funny and it's entertaining, but it's not...good."

I'd be curious to see how much his stuff has changed after a decade. He's still hustling, posting Instagram reels and doing plenty of podcasts.

There are plenty of good behind-the-scenes of stand-up documentaries. Comedian tells the story of a comic at the height of his powers, Jerry Seinfeld, and another trying to accomplish a fraction of that success, Orny Adams. I Need You To Kill follows Chad Daniels, Pete Lee, and Tom Segura (before he blew up) exploring the growing comedy scene in Asia, while Hannibal Takes Edinburgh follows Hannibal Burress in his attempt to break out at the city's iconic Fringe Festival. I would recommend them all. I would also recommend 25 Sets, for those who like stand-up and the mechanics, but especially those who think it looks easy. Watch this movie and tell me you could do that. Hell, even the other comedians in the documentary think he's crazy. And maybe he is, but now he's also memorable. Wasn't that the point?

Want to commission a review? Order from this list and you’ll get one in 30 days!