Anna Dorsey | Staff Illustrator

Pounding music, bright color washes, and sweaty bodies define the hedonistic ecstasy of the dance floor in auteur-star Jordan Firstman’s “Club Kid.” But despite the sweet emotional moments attempted throughout, the comedy-drama film’s exuberance is its only lasting impact.

Firstman stars as Peter, a 30-something gay man bouncing from party to party, never quite leaving a drug- and alcohol-induced haze. But that comes to a head when he loses his job and eventually admits that “I don’t really like myself a lot of the time.” Then all of a sudden, his British 10-year-old biological son, Arlo (Reggie Absolom), shows up at his apartment. Arlo is quiet and pensive, yet eager to please his father.

But despite what the title and plot description may imply, “Club Kid” is not really about Peter and Arlo’s relationship. Instead, most of the story follows Peter’s growth from self-centered and directionless into a caring, joyous, and compassionate person. 

“Club Kid” is at its best when embracing that first word of the film’s title — whether through Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s eclectic, pulsing, and enrapturing dance beats or Adam Newport-Berra’s gorgeously colorful slightly shaky cinematography — and it is at its worst when leaning too hard on the title’s second word. Firstman’s script provides strong moments where emotion should shine through, but the scenes between Peter and Arlo are nothing remarkably moving or unique. Instead, “Club Kid” sticks a little too closely to the tried-and-true emotional beats of a father-son drama to become something truly great. Arlo’s trust of Peter feels far too easy, and he feels more like a tool to help Peter develop instead of a fully fleshed out character in his own right.

Still, the film is undoubtedly hilarious, with countless moments between Peter, his friends, and his uproarious roommate (Eldar Isgandarov) bursting with an infectious, bubbly energy through off-hand snipes and jokes steeped in queer culture.

It is easy to find the sparkle in “Club Kid,” including the excellent soundtrack (think Slayyyter’s “CRANK” and Ethel Cain’s “Thoroughfare”), euphoric dance floors, and Peter’s emotional growth, but those expecting a groundbreaking or heart-wrenching film should look elsewhere.