London 2026 Review: CLUB KID, Jordan Firstman's Warm and Tragic Bad Dad Dramedy

Of all the Adam Sandler films to have a rebirth, maybe Big Daddy is the one that deserves a longer legacy.

A solid encapsulation of its lead's refusal to grow up even under the diamond-making pressure of having a half-grown kid thrown into your life, it's a robust concept that deserves a better shake than it got with the middling original.

Curious, then, that influencer-turned-fearless comedy actor Jordan Firstman should be the one to bring it back to life. After causing a stir as a fictionalised version of himself in Sebastián Silva's Rotting in the Sun and stealing scenes in Rachel Sennott's HBO sitcom I Love LA, Firstman's first film as a triple-threat writer/director/leading actor arrives with much anticipation, and with the winning, charming and heartbreaking Club Kid, he proves he's here to stay.

Firstman is Peter, a nightclub promoter we meet at the height of his MDMA-fuelled powers in 2016, surrounded by Queer friends and running a smooth operation alongside business partner Sophie (Cara Delevingne). Staunchly affirmed of his sexuality as a gay man, a black-out night in an illicit backroom sees an orgy take place, with Peter's path crossing with that of Leonora (Paris Petitjean), a super-into-him British girl whose name is lost to the night, only being remembered vaguely by her mocking nickname-cum-catchphrase: 'Innit Babes'.

At his lowest ebb a decade later, our central figure's addled existence is shattered when Innit Babes' bestie Edison (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) turns up with Arlo (Reggie Absolom), Leonora's ten-year-old kid, now the responsibility of his unwitting biological father, Peter. Uprooted from his London life and thrust into the chaotic NYC party scene, Arlo must sink or swim with his sad, bad dad's hard-living lifestyle, and Peter in turn must figure out how to fast track his life out of the doldrums, for his son's sake and his own.

Deceptively but constructively smuggling in ideas about the tough reality of gay parenthood, Club Kid is a remarkable tonal tightrope. Early gross-out vomit gags and obnoxious characterisations of the entire cast soon give way to a three-dimensional world of complicated humans and a moving generosity that links them all; for anyone afraid the hyperactive party scene of its opening act will feel like a bad hangover, there is plenty of light and laughter ahead.

The film thrives on its scenes shared just between Firstman and Absolom, who have an immediate chemistry that blossoms with vulnerability and excitement with each subsequent scene. There's a kindness to how Firstman writes Peter's flaws that feel simultaneously apologetic and empathetic, gradually peeling back the layers of this big baby with a bag full of drugs until there's something far rawer underneath.

In turn, Absolom's unassuming fish out of water with impeccable musical taste (Cocteau Twins! Elliott Smith! Massive Attack!) really earns his stripes as 'the coolest kid ever', emotionally tough and prone to outbursts of misdirected rage, but ready to open his heart when the occasion calls. It would be tough to ask for two better lead performances out of any film this year; these should be the bookie's picks for the black sheep of Oscar season.

Supporting father and son are a vibrant and diverse cast of friends and lovers who each take their turns at snatching the limelight. Cara Delevingne surprises with a spiky, venomous frenemy role that marks a career best, while Diego Calva proves himself to be one of the most reliably smouldering fresh screen presences as Arlo's social worker who quickly steals Peter's heart.

DJ and performance artist Saturn Risin9 provides an unexpected emotional anchor for the film's wider focus on inclusivity and community, and it's a pleasure to see genre film legend Colleen Camp as Peter's aging singleton downstairs neighbor. However, it's newcomer Eldar Isgandarov who gets the biggest laughs as Peter's Azerbaijani aspiring Queer philosopher roommate, whose grift from sofa to sofa seemingly knows no bounds as he works his way up the social strata one dryly hilarious line at a time.

Capturing the brimming life each character brings to the film is cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, fresh off shooting The Invite on 35mm and doing similarly gorgeous work here; this is an artist who knows how to shoot an apartment from every possible compelling angle, and conjures some beautiful homely energy as the film drifts into a more blissful state. The electronic atmosphere of composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer also compliments a terrific soundtrack curated by Firstman himself; it feels like so long since we've had a Death Grips needle drop, but their assaultive sounds fit perfectly here.

All of these presences let the leisurely pace of the film effortlessly go with the flow, leading to an eye-watering third act that pumps the breaks on the vibes and makes everyone face a harsh reality. Make no mistake, Club Kid is a weepy, packed full of gut punches that offer no easy answers to its moral quandaries, and Firstman's bravery to challenge them head-on (both as a leading man and dramatist) is commendable. Perhaps ending on a final moment that feels neither here nor there, the first two hours of Club Kid are the work of a serious new talent, not just on the New York movie scene, but the medium at large.

And all this from a retooled take on Big Daddy! Whether Firstman will find more profound truths in the maligned oeuvre of Adam Sandler (surely he can get something out of I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry?) is up for question, but for now, there's something special in the multi-faceted loveliness of Club Kid, a strong contender for the best debut of 2026 and among the very best films of the year too.

The film screened at the 2026 London Film Festival.