Written by Sofia Mongillo Bermejo

Peter knows how to keep a party going. A gay nightlife promoter in New York City, his life revolves around drugs, fleeting encounters, and one endless night after another. Then, a ten-year-old unexpectedly shows up at his door. It’s his son. In his feature directorial debut, comedian and actor Jordan Firstman opens Club Kid in the middle of a night out. As if we're following Peter around with a camera, we’re kept close through the night's highs, comedowns, and everything in between, all unfolding in a dizzying haze that feels like it might never end.

As the initial chaos settles,

the film finds its footing and gives way to a much more intimate story, with Peter's unexpected introduction to fatherhood at its center. After his mother’s passing in the UK, a young boy by the name of Arlo (Reggie Absolom) finds himself in Peter’s hands, though he’s in no position to take care of himself, let alone another human being. Addicted to drugs and lacking meaningful connections in his life, he fights the responsibility at first, but ultimately falls in love in a way he never knew he needed.

The story that follows is one of unlikely connections,

growing pains, and figuring out adulthood on unfamiliar terms. As their relationship develops, it's their unconventional situation and naturally awkward dynamic that make it so endearing. Watching them navigate the ups and downs of their relationship feels remarkably believable, thanks to an onscreen dynamic that feels effortless. It's easily one of the film's biggest strengths.

Absolom portrays Arlo effortlessly,

bringing a natural warmth and innocence to the role and making the relationship with Peter feel all the more genuine. Firstman is phenomenal in the lead role and gives Peter a rawness and vulnerability that feels almost uncomfortably real.

Firstman is particularly impressive in the film's more emotional moments.

His breakdowns feel incredibly private, like the kind of crying that only happens when nobody else is around. There are moments when the performance feels so genuine that it's difficult to believe it's acting.

Beyond the relationship between Arlo and Peter, the story also gives weight to a thoughtful exploration of community, particularly within NYC’s queer nightlife scene. The film captures the freedom, self-expression, and sense of belonging that these spaces can offer, while also showing how easily that environment can become a form of escapism. Peter's friends and chosen family are an important part of his life, even if they aren't always the most reliable people to lean on. For someone who spends so much time surrounded by others, Peter seems profoundly lonely. There's an interesting contrast between having a community around him and having people he can genuinely depend on. Arlo’s arrival gives him a sense of connection and purpose, and the complications that come with their relationship make this newfound bond all the more compelling.

The people around Peter

also give the film plenty of room for its humor and some relief from darker moments. The dialogue is quick and witty, packed with internet-coded jokes, contemporary slang, and references that feel especially familiar to a younger generation and the queer community.

Group conversations are particularly fun to watch, often moving so quickly that there's barely time to catch every joke. Nearly all of the humor lands, although a few moments feel a little too try-hard. Still, the film has a comedic personality that feels refreshing and genuinely entertaining. For all its humor, Club Kid is just as comfortable sitting with heartbreak. Some of its saddest moments are also its quietest, allowing scenes to linger without feeling the need to fill every silence. Having spent so much time experiencing Peter's wildest highs, watching him reach some of his lowest points hits that much harder. Firstman proves just as capable behind the camera as he is in front of it. Club Kid has a distinct visual identity and a confident sense of tone as it moves between the chaos of nightlife, quick-witted comedy, and quieter character moments without losing its footing.

The script

deserves immense credit for feeling so honest, unfiltered, and personal. In Firstman's hands, what could have been a surface-level story about nightlife and excess becomes something far more intimate, using its chaotic setting as the backdrop for a story with surprising emotional depth.

Club Kid exceeded expectations.

It's a hilarious, heartfelt, and occasionally devastating film that manages to find something deeply human beneath all the partying and excess. It's also likely to resonate with anyone transitioning into adulthood and still figuring out where they fit in society. Firstman has delivered an impressive directorial debut, with a story that feels refreshingly sincere. A few jokes don't quite land, but there's so much personality and heart here that those moments are easy to forgive. For all its chaos, Club Kid ultimately finds its greatest strength in the connection between two people who never expected to need each other.