Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling

"A comic with one eye on his audience and another eye on the truth."

May 2 1986 R 1h 37m
Biography, Comedy, Drama

Although Jo Jo Dancer has achieved success as a stand-up comedian, he hasn't found happiness. After receiving severe burns in a narcotics-related incident, Jo Jo remains in a coma, and, while in this state, he looks back on his life. Drifting off into memories of his troubled childhood, Jo Jo revisits his youth, recalling his eventual rise to fame and the decadence that followed. As he considers his existence, he must decide if he wants to go on living or not.

Plot

In this film that closely parallels his own life story, Richard Pryor plays Jo Jo Dancer, a popular stand-up comedian who has severely burned himself in a drug incident. As he lies unconscious in a hospital, his spiritual alter ego gets up and begins a journey of his own. He revisits his life, from growing up in a brothel as a child and struggling to beat the long odds to become a top rated comedian. However, his success brings new problems as he develops a tragic pattern of substance abuse that begins to screw up his life. All the while, Jo Jo's spirit watches these events and attempts to convince his past self to turn off from his path of self destruction.

Written by

Rocco Urbisci, Paul Mooney, Richard Pryor

Directed by

Richard Pryor

Cast

Richard Pryor, Debbie Allen, Art Evans

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures

Languages

English

Awards

1 nomination

Trailers
1990 - Cable Promo for 'Jo Jo Dancer Your Life is Calling'
Scores
# of Votes
2,393
Average Rating
6.3 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA