Once a top rising comedian, Topper quickly falls from grace and finds himself struggling to get by in the cutthroat comedy scene of LA. His inability to face and accept his childhood has kept him from progressing. After an unexpected visit from a ghost of his past, Topper must return to Detroit to face his past and come to terms with his demons, before his dream and possibly himself dies off.
Acting
Mark O'Brien's physical comedy of self-destruction.
Writing
Jokes that land then immediately curdle in your mouth.
Direction
Detroit as haunted house of working-class ghosts.
Director
Kevin McNamara
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Mark O'Brien wrote this during his own career plateau; several of Topper's real bombs are his actual failed audition sets.
The film's Detroit setting deliberately contrasts coastal comedy prestige with Midwestern 'prove it' work ethic—a rarely depicted tension in artist-failure stories.
US
