Gordon-Levitt puts his heart into a ‘sadcom’

Having had a run of hit feelgood comedies, it was perhaps inevitable that Apple TV+ would want to dip its toe in the feelbad comedy water.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (below) plays a depressed fifth-grade teacher who suffers panic attacks and struggles to make meaningful connections with women. His ambitions to be a musician haven’t worked out and his life feels meaningless.

This is a passion project for Gordon-Levitt, who also created, wrote and directed it. ‘Mr Corman is probably the most distilled expression of myself that I’ve ever managed to achieve,’ he says. ‘I always wanted it to come from a heartfelt place.’

‘Sadcoms’ can be spectacularly successful – witness Fleabag and After Life – but, unfortunately, while this has its moments, it just isn’t in that league. Apple TV+, from Friday