Club Kid

Peter (Jordan Firstman) has spent years building a reputation as New York City's most relentless club promoter. His life is a blur of after-hours parties, designer drugs, and carefully curated chaos. But that world comes crashing down when a 10-year-old boy named Arlo (Reggie Absolom) shows up at his door, claiming to be his son. Firstman, making his directorial debut, also wrote the script, drawing from his own experiences in the nightlife scene. The cast includes Cara Delevingne as Sophie, a sharp-tongued bartender who becomes an unlikely ally, and Diego Calva as Oscar, Peter's long-suffering business partner. Shot on location in downtown Manhattan, the film captures the grimy glamour of a scene that never sleeps. With a runtime of 2 hours and 6 minutes, it balances raucous comedy with genuine emotional weight. Music by Cristóbal Tapia de Veer adds an off-kilter energy, while Adam Newport-Berra's cinematography bathes the city in neon and sweat. Early reviews have praised Firstman's raw, unflinching look at arrested development, though some critics found the tonal shifts jarring. Produced by Topic Studios and Stay Gold Features, Club Kid arrives as a bold, messy, and deeply personal exploration of what happens when the party stops.[edit]

Peter, a charismatic but deeply immature club promoter, has spent the better part of a decade ruling New York City's underground nightlife. His life is a carefully curated whirlwind of after-hours parties, designer drugs, and transactional relationships, all designed to keep reality at bay. He lives in a chaotic, perpetually messy loft in downtown Manhattan, surrounded by hangers-on, fellow promoters, and club kids who worship him. His primary partner in crime is Oscar, a long-suffering business partner who handles logistics while Peter handles the vibe.

The central conflict erupts when a quiet, serious 10-year-old boy named Arlo appears at Peter's doorstep. Arlo claims to be Peter's son from a brief, forgotten relationship years earlier. Peter is completely unprepared for this. He is a man who has never been responsible for anything beyond a guest list, and the sudden arrival of a child throws his world into disarray. The first act is a masterclass in comedic panic as Peter tries to figure out what to do with Arlo, initially treating him like an inconvenient party guest.

The story follows Peter's bumbling attempts to integrate Arlo into his life without actually changing it. He brings Arlo to clubs, tries to pawn him off on friends, and attempts to use his promoter skills to manage the situation. A key ally emerges in Sophie, a sharp-tongued, no-nonsense bartender at Peter's favorite club. She sees through Peter's act immediately and becomes an unlikely, reluctant voice of reason, forcing him to confront his complete lack of parenting skills. Meanwhile, Oscar grows increasingly frustrated as Peter's distraction begins to affect their business, threatening a major upcoming event that could make or break their careers. The film deftly balances raucous comedy with genuine emotional weight. As Peter fumbles through his new role, the film begins to peel back the layers of his persona, suggesting that his relentless partying is a shield for a deep-seated fear of failure and abandonment. The central question is not whether Peter can become a good father, but whether he can even begin to grow up.[edit]