The documentary VINCE VAUGHN’S WILD WEST COMEDY SHOW: 30 DAYS & 30 NIGHTS traces the travelling stand-up comics as they hold a show a night in 30 cities.  Actor Vince Vaughn is the host and the 4 comics are up and coming comedians.  Ahmed Ahmed, John Caparulo, Bret Ernst and Sebastian Maniscalco are still relatively unheard of at present but they are by no means less talented.  Famous guests in the film include Justin Long (DODGEBALL), Keir O’Donnel (the gay brother in WEDDING CRASHERS), director Jon Favreau and Peter Billingsley (the kid in A CHRISTMAS STORY).

Vaughn (who can be annoying in films like INTO THE WILD, WEDDING CRASHERS and FRED CLAUS) is surprisingly chivalrous enough to leave himself out of the film for the most part to let the upcoming talent take the limelight.  Director Sandel allows almost equal time among the four.  But showing the best and worst of each creates the feeling that the film is manipulative.  But it is great to watch 4 diverse comics with different styles, clothes and values learn to tolerate each other and modify their material to deal with diverse audiences. 

Sandel’s film is interesting when it depicts the ups and downs of the comics.  The instant, for example, when the crowd turns on comic Manuscalco is brilliantly captured on film.  Vaughn’s mentoring of the four and his manipulative routines to win the audience are a few of the film’s enlightening moments.  But Sandel falls into the easy trap of often letting his film show the comics do their stuff.  Though this often works in entertaining the audience in getting the laughs, it defeats the purpose of the film.  In 2003, Canadian director Bob Smeaton captured more effectively the spirit of the touring musicians Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, the Band and others in a little seen road or rather train movie called FESTIVAL EXPRESS.  When the comics in WILD WEST SHOW finally proclaim at the end of the film that the camaraderie they experienced during the 30 days will forever be remembered, the audience can only wish that the film would have been more convincing.