A Futile and Stupid Gesture is a 2018 American biographical comedy-drama film based on Josh Karp's book of the same title, directed by David Wain, and written by Michael Colton and John Aboud. The film stars Will Forte as comedy writer Douglas Kenney, during the rise and fall of National Lampoon. A Futile and Stupid Gesture had its world premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2018, and was released on January 26, 2018, by Netflix. Plot The film's timeline stretches from 1964 to 1980. The film opens with Douglas Kenney and his classmate Henry Beard celebrating the release of their book, Bored of the Rings, with the Harvard Lampoon staff. They graduate from Harvard and Kenney convinces Beard not to go to law school but instead publish a monthly magazine: the National Lampoon. Though Kenney is the magazine's main creative voice, there would be no magazine without the guidance of Beard. Kenney becomes the comedy writer and Beard the business manager, while the magazine also has a thriving art department. They get financing from Matty Simmons. All of the writers work hard to be funny and meet deadlines. Work is a party atmosphere and illicit drug use is prevalent. The magazine is not initially a success until lawsuits are threatened by Disney, Volkswagen, Mormons, and many other established names. The comedy world is changed, and the magazine pushes the acceptance of satire and parody with each edition. Kenney, due to burnout, suddenly leaves for nine months with a one-line note to Beard. The magazine stays successful under Beard. After five years Simmons agrees to a buyout and they each collect $3.5 million, a request demanded by Beard and Kenney. Beard, being unhappy and greatly stressed, takes his check and immediately exits the magazine. National Lampoon expands to an hour radio show attracting more great comedians like Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, and Gilda Radner. But Lorne Michaels buys them all out and signs them over to Saturday Night Live. Special editions of the magazine are published such as one mocking high school yearbooks. Kenney then moves to movies and writes Animal House in 1978. With the success of the film, cocaine takes over Kenney's life. As disputes with studio executives continue, Kenney writes Caddyshack. Not liking his work, he embarrasses himself being drunk and high at a press conference for the film. Kenney, Beard and Chris Hoffman