In the world of documentaries, where the focus is often on revealing hidden truths or exploring significant historical events, 'We Are Pat' stands out as a unique and thought-provoking film. This documentary delves into the life and legacy of one of the most divisive comedy characters of the last 40 years: Pat, the androgynous, annoying recurring sketch character from 'Saturday Night Live'.
Personally, I find the premise of this documentary fascinating. It takes a controversial character and uses him as a lens to explore complex issues around gender, authorship, and the uncomfortable afterlife of pop culture. What makes this particularly intriguing is how it challenges our perceptions and invites us to question our own biases and reactions.
The documentary is structured around conversations with trans and gender-nonconforming comedians, who offer a range of perspectives on Pat. From affection to discomfort to outright admiration, these comedians provide a fascinating insight into the impact of Pat on their own identities and the broader culture.
One of the most compelling aspects of the documentary is its willingness to present multiple viewpoints without trying to flatten them into a consensus. This allows for a rich discussion about coding, projection, and the limits of reclamation. It raises important questions about what marginalized communities can reclaim from works that were used against them, and whether there is value in trying.
Julia Sweeney, the creator of Pat, is a national treasure. Her openness to dissecting Pat as a cultural artifact and an extension of her own feelings about gender presentation is refreshing. She transparently wrestles with the possibility that a character born of her own frustrations could have reinforced harmful, transphobic assumptions, even if unintentionally.
The documentary also features an all-trans comedy writers' room, where comedians interrogate every aspect of Pat and discover which elements still have comic potential. This allows the audience to see comedians showing off their humor, which is something viewers who aren't already immersed in the queer comedy scene are likely unfamiliar with.
'We Are Pat' is a rich conversation about comedy. It asks us to do an archaeological dig on ourselves, exploring why we found Pat funny, why we still laugh, or why we have stopped. By the end of the documentary, you'll be considering not just your relationship with the stuff that made you laugh in your younger years, but also the strange relationship between creators and the meaning audiences project onto their work.
What makes 'We Are Pat' truly remarkable is how it challenges our perceptions and invites us to question our own biases and reactions. It is a thought-provoking documentary that will leave you with a deeper understanding of the impact of pop culture on our identities and the complex relationship between creators and audiences.
