Jordan Firstman’s 'Club Kid' Review: A Queer Dramedy on Parenthood and Party Life

Jordan Firstman’s directorial debut, Club Kid, arrives with a deceptively simple premise: a washed-up party promoter learns he has a son. The title itself carries a double meaning—both a nod to the protagonist’s nightlife past and a sarcastic jab at his current state. Yet beneath the surface, the film grapples with deeper questions of purpose, sacrifice, and the messy realities of adulthood.

At its core, Club Kid is a meditation on finitude and limits—the very things that define humanity while also fueling frustration. Firstman’s protagonist, Peter, must confront the fact that he can’t have it all. The film asks: If you can’t do everything, what will you dedicate your “one wild and precious life” to? It’s a question that lingers long after the credits roll, blending earnestness with heartfelt warmth.

Firstman, who also stars in the film, brings a mix of sincerity and self-awareness to the project. However, his presence occasionally overshadows the story, as the film sometimes feels like a vehicle for his own narrative rather than a fully realized character study. Despite this, the creative team behind the scenes elevates the material. Cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, fresh off his work on Olivia Wilde’s The Invite, once again proves his ability to transform even the most mundane spaces into cinematic worlds.

In Club Kid, Newport-Berra’s camerawork is immersive and invasive, capturing the euphoria and exhaustion of nightlife culture. Unlike typical club scenes that rely on wide shots to showcase the frenetic energy of a crowd, Club Kid keeps the lens up close, almost uncomfortably so. The opening sequence—a 360-degree spin in a cab—sets the tone, blending the rowdy energy of Peter and his friends with the exasperation of the cab driver. This approach carries into the dance floors and dark rooms, where the film’s hedonism is on full display.

Yet for all its depiction of revelry, Club Kid is less about the highs and more about the aftermath. The film lingers on the crushing hangover, the physical toll of excess, and the hollow feeling that follows. Peter, despite being the life of the party, is a man adrift, wrestling with insecurity and dissatisfaction. His journey is one of self-discovery, forced to confront the emptiness of a life built on fleeting pleasures.

Firstman’s film is a celebration of queer joy and unconventional lifestyles, but it’s also a raw look at the unglamorous side of adulting. It’s a story about what happens when the music stops—and you’re left with the mess.