A Futile and Stupid Gesture
An old version of humorist Douglas Kenney tells the story of how he and Henry Beard parleyed their success in their campus magazine, Harvard Lampoon, into the commercial magazine, National Lampoon. Drawing upon their checkered lives and an aggressively puckish sense of humor, the pair created a publication that would redefine American comedy with outrageous drollery that grabbed the zeitgeist of the decade that expanded across various media. Unfortunately, for all his success, Doug Kenney with his overhanging insecurities, ego and irresponsible appetites began to consume him until he alienates everyone who ever cared and supported him even as they imitated him. In the end, this iconoclastic funnyman would come to a tragedy that comes when your comedy doesn't have enough distance.
Produced on a tight budget of $10.0M, the film represents a independent production.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018) demonstrates carefully calibrated narrative design, characteristic of David Wain's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 41 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.8, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Doug Kenney
Modern Doug Kenney
Henry Beard
Chevy Chase
Michael O'Donoghue
Kathryn Walker
Tom Schiller
Main Cast & Characters
Doug Kenney
Played by Will Forte
Co-founder of National Lampoon, brilliant but self-destructive comedy writer struggling with success and personal demons
Modern Doug Kenney
Played by Martin Mull
Older, meta-narrative version of Doug who narrates and comments on his own story
Henry Beard
Played by Domhnall Gleeson
Co-founder of National Lampoon, Doug's creative partner and more grounded counterpart
Chevy Chase
Played by Joel McHale
Rising comedy star and National Lampoon performer who becomes more successful than Doug
Michael O'Donoghue
Played by Thomas Lennon
Edgy, dark comedy writer and National Lampoon contributor known for pushing boundaries
Kathryn Walker
Played by Emmy Rossum
Doug's girlfriend who tries to support him through his self-destructive behavior
Tom Schiller
Played by Jon Daly
National Lampoon writer and filmmaker, friend and collaborator of Doug
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Older Doug Kenney appears on screen, breaking the fourth wall to narrate his own story, establishing the film's meta-comedic tone and Doug's role as the witty outsider observing his own life.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Doug and Henry conceive the idea of creating a national humor magazine beyond Harvard, a radical concept that could turn their collegiate success into something revolutionary and commercially viable.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to National Lampoon officially launches, and Doug fully commits to building a comedy empire. He crosses from aspiring humorist to professional comedy revolutionary, entering the world of commercial success., moving from reaction to action.
At 51 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Animal House becomes a massive hit, representing Doug's peak success. False victory: he's achieved everything he wanted, but the cracks in his satisfaction are already showing. Success hasn't filled the void., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 75 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Doug's complete breakdown: alienated from friends, creative partners gone, drowning in substances, and the realization that all his success means nothing because he still doesn't know who he is without the performance. The death of his authentic self., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 81 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Doug goes to Hawaii alone, a journey that will end in his mysterious death. The threshold is not toward victory but toward an ambiguous ending—choosing to step away from the performance entirely., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
A Futile and Stupid Gesture's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping A Futile and Stupid Gesture against these established plot points, we can identify how David Wain utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish A Futile and Stupid Gesture within the biography genre.
David Wain's Structural Approach
Among the 5 David Wain films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. A Futile and Stupid Gesture takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete David Wain filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional biography films include Lords of Dogtown, Ip Man 2 and A Complete Unknown. For more David Wain analyses, see Role Models, Wanderlust and They Came Together.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Older Doug Kenney appears on screen, breaking the fourth wall to narrate his own story, establishing the film's meta-comedic tone and Doug's role as the witty outsider observing his own life.
Theme
A character observes that Doug is always trying to be funny, always performing, hinting at the central question: can someone who dedicates their life to making others laugh ever find genuine fulfillment?
Worldbuilding
Doug's early years at Harvard in the 1960s, establishing his partnership with Henry Beard, the creation of the Harvard Lampoon, his family dynamics, and his desperate need to prove himself as the funny guy who doesn't quite fit the establishment mold.
Disruption
Doug and Henry conceive the idea of creating a national humor magazine beyond Harvard, a radical concept that could turn their collegiate success into something revolutionary and commercially viable.
Resistance
Doug and Henry navigate the publishing world, pitch investors, debate the direction and tone of National Lampoon, and assemble their team of countercultural writers. Doug wrestles with going commercial versus staying pure.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
National Lampoon officially launches, and Doug fully commits to building a comedy empire. He crosses from aspiring humorist to professional comedy revolutionary, entering the world of commercial success.
Mirror World
Doug's relationships with fellow writers and collaborators deepen, particularly his creative partnerships that reflect what he truly values: genuine connection through humor versus performing for acceptance.
Premise
The glory days of National Lampoon: outrageous content, commercial success, the radio show, pushing boundaries, assembling comedy legends. Doug experiences the promise of the premise—being the king of counterculture comedy.
Midpoint
Animal House becomes a massive hit, representing Doug's peak success. False victory: he's achieved everything he wanted, but the cracks in his satisfaction are already showing. Success hasn't filled the void.
Opposition
Doug's personal demons intensify: drug use escalates, relationships fracture, creative partnership with Henry dissolves, Caddyshack production becomes chaotic. The comedy empire he built starts feeling like a prison. His need for validation becomes desperate.
Collapse
Doug's complete breakdown: alienated from friends, creative partners gone, drowning in substances, and the realization that all his success means nothing because he still doesn't know who he is without the performance. The death of his authentic self.
Crisis
Doug wanders in darkness, literally and figuratively, confronting the futility of his endless quest for validation through humor. The dark night where he processes that being funny was never going to be enough.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Doug goes to Hawaii alone, a journey that will end in his mysterious death. The threshold is not toward victory but toward an ambiguous ending—choosing to step away from the performance entirely.
Synthesis
The film reveals Doug's final days in Hawaii and his death, while the older Doug narrator provides commentary on his legacy, how National Lampoon changed comedy, and the bittersweet recognition that his work mattered even if he never felt it did.
Transformation
Older Doug directly addresses the camera one final time, acknowledging the tragedy and the comedy of his life simultaneously. The transformation is in the audience's understanding: Doug's futile and stupid gesture actually meant everything.