The world of comedy can also unfortunately bring tragedy and such was the case with Chris Farley. A performer with unbound energy as exhibited on Saturday Night Live and in his ten films, notably Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, his life was cut short at the age of 33 in 1997 after a drug overdose. Nearly twenty years, a new documentary will look back at his career through the eyes of his closest friends.
Directed by Brent Hodge and Derik Murray’s I Am Chris Farley features Christina Applegate, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Molly Shannon, David Spade, and many others. Ahead of a theatrical release on July 31st and VOD release on August 11th, the first trailer has landed, which looks to do justice to the comedian. Check it out below, along with the poster.
From the directors of A Brony Tale, I Am Evel Knievel, and the upcoming Johnny Cash – American Rebel, I AM CHRIS FARLEY tells Chris Farley’s story, from his early days in Madison, Wisconsin and at Marquette University, through his work at the legendary club Second City to his rapid rise to the top of the comedy world on “Saturday Night Live” and in hit films like Tommy Boy and Black Sheep.
Sharing insights into the beloved funnyman are such co-stars and colleagues as Christina Applegate, Tom Arnold, Dan Aykroyd, Bo Derek, Pat Finn, Jon Lovitz, Lorne Michaels, Jay Mohr, Mike Myers, Bob Odenkirk, Bob Saget, Adam Sandler, Will Sasso, Molly Shannon, David Spade, Brian Stack, and Fred Wolf. The filmmakers also speak to Farley’s four siblings, including his brother Kevin, a comedian and actor, and his brother Tom Jr., who wrote the biography “The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts.”
With the full cooperation and participation of the Farley family, I AM CHRIS FARLEY showcases the performer’s most memorable characters and skits from television and film, paired with iconic photographs, home movies, family snapshots and personal artifacts, to fully round out the story of this comedy legend – a bear of a man who nevertheless had remarkable grace and physicality. Clips from Farley’s most memorable performances fill the documentary, from his breathtaking Chippendales audition alongside Patrick Swayze, to his comically ill-fated salesman in Tommy Boy, to his diatribes as Matt Foley, the motivational speaker who “lives in a van down by the river!”
Farley lived his life full speed and committed to make everyone around him laugh out loud, and I Am Chris Farley will tell his hilarious, touching and wildly entertaining story for the first time ever.
