Key Highlights:
- Jordan Firstman makes his feature directorial debut with Club Kid, an A24 release premiering at the New York Film Festival ahead of its November 6 theatrical release.
- The film follows Peter Green, a struggling party promoter and addict whose chaotic lifestyle is disrupted when he learns he has a 10-year-old son named Arlo, played by Reggie Absolom.
- The ensemble cast features Cara Delevingne, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Eldar Isgandarov, Colleen Camp, Diego Calva, and Saturn Risin9, working alongside cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra.
Jordan Firstmanâs Transition from Comedy Provocateur to Auteur
Writer, performer, and internet satirist Jordan Firstman has built a distinct creative reputation on unapologetic queer humor, sharpened across credits such as Search Party, SebastiĂĄn Silvaâs Rotting in the Sun, and Rachel Sennottâs I Love LA. With his feature directorial debut, Club Kid, Firstman expands that boundary-pushing sensibility into a surprisingly grounded and mature coming-of-age story about accountability, fatherhood, and surviving modern adulthood.
Premiering at the New York Film Festival, the A24-backed comedy avoids the saccharine conventions typical of traditional parenthood comedies like Big Daddy, Mr. Mom, or Three Men and a Baby. Instead, Firstman crafts an explicitly queer, authentic narrative about an aging nightlife fixture wrestling with the fallout of his own recklessness, providing equal parts dark comedy and genuine emotional weight.
Plot Dynamics: A Foundational Shock to a Chaotic Nightlife
In Club Kid, Jordan Firstman stars as Peter Green, a Manhattan party promoter in his thirties whose trajectory is derailed by persistent substance misuse. Peter is caught in a spiral of cocaine, ketamine, and casual sexual encounters across New York City. His home life is just as unmoored, anchored by his couch-surfing roommate Nicky (Eldar Isgandarov), who styles himself as a low-key philosopher.
Peterâs habit of dealing drugs on the side and arriving high to high-stakes meetings threatens his livelihood, alienating his fiercely competitive business partner, played by Cara Delevingne.
The turning point arrives abruptly when Edison (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) resurfaces in his life. Bringing boundless comedic energy, Edison delivers a shocking revelation: Peter is the biological father of a ten-year-old boy named Arlo (Reggie Absolom), the result of a long-forgotten threesome with a British woman Peter remembered simply as Innit babes.
Following his mother’s tragic death by suicide after years of abuse and addiction, Arlo has been delivered to Manhattan to live with his father.
Faced with an unexpected dependent, Peter takes Arlo in. Despite having virtually no parenting skills, he finds common ground with the boy over music. Having grown up around nightlife culture, Arlo quickly bonds with Peter’s eccentric social circle, including a captivating trans DJ named Saffron (Saturn Risin9) and Peterâs stylish downstairs neighbor Evelyn (Colleen Camp). As Peter begins seeing himself through the eyes of his son, he contemplates whether he can overcome his addictions, step away from nightlife chaos, and pursue a healthy domestic future with Arloâs therapist, played by Diego Calva.
Visual Direction and Ensemble Performances
Working alongside cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, Firstman utilizes 35mm film stock to frame New York City with gritty romanticism and texture. The opening scene establishes the frenetic atmosphere through a quiet interaction between an Uber driver (Jamil Zraikat) and an encroaching swarm of glitter-covered partygoers. Newport-Berra translates Peterâs changing emotional state through dynamic lighting shifts, migrating from euphoric purple neon to claustrophobic red strobes during moments of panic, contrasted by quiet, wide-frame moments capturing quiet record store visits or the effort of hauling a piano up a tenement stairwell.
The filmâs ensemble, assembled by casting director Carmen Cuba, balances high-energy caricature with emotional realism. While Firstman leans into his own vulnerabilities on screen, Reggie Absolom delivers an exceptional performance as Arlo. Absolom imbues the character with a precocious understanding of adult chaos while keeping the underlying fragility of a child seeking stability front and center. Supported by dynamic turns from Howell-Baptiste, Delevingne, and Isgandarov, the story avoids easy Hollywood sentimentality, landing instead on an earned, bittersweet, and realistically hopeful conclusion.
Why This Matters
Club Kid marks a critical evolution in Jordan Firstmanâs career, demonstrating his ability to steer an emotionally intricate, visually disciplined narrative feature as a triple-threat writer, director, and lead actor. Released under the banner of A24, the film highlights a continuing trend of contemporary queer cinema moving away from conventional coming-out narratives toward more nuanced explorations of queer parenthood, recovery, intergenerational dynamics, and extended support networks. By engaging honestly with addiction and grief without sacrificing comedy, Firstman positions himself as an exciting new auteur in independent cinema.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Club Kid be released in theaters?
Following its festival run at the New York Film Festival, Club Kid is scheduled to open in theaters on November 6.
Who is in the cast of Club Kid?
The movie stars Jordan Firstman alongside Reggie Absolom, Cara Delevingne, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Eldar Isgandarov, Colleen Camp, Diego Calva, Saturn Risin9, and Jamil Zraikat.
What studio is distributing Club Kid?
The independent feature film is being presented and distributed by A24.
