NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 69

that there is always time to 
enjoy what you’re doing,” said 
Grossman, whose film shows 
him trying to put together a 
standup routine for television 
in one week’s time.
“So often, people think 
if they’re not improving in 
leaps and bounds then what’s 
the point. Studies have shown 
that just getting a little bit 
better at something every 
day can make you great over 
time,” he said. 
“The film is only showing 
theatrically in Michigan. As 
long as I don’t lose money, 
I’d be open to going to other 
states.”
Joining Grossman for 
the Flint showing will 
be Flint friends from his 
youth who participated in 
the movie making — Ben 

Cain, actor; Mike Ramsdell, 
producer; and Stephen Smith, 
cinematographer. Martin 
Jennings, Grossman and 
Cain’s acting teacher from 
Flint’s Central High School, 
will moderate the session 
after the film. 
Grossman, 52, now lives 
in California. His wife is 
a recruiter in the fashion 
industry, and they have two 
teenagers who appeared in 
the film as themselves. Their 
home also was used in the 
making of the movie. 
Raised in a Conservative 
household with a mom from 
Israel, Grossman is active in 
the organization Rebooting 
Jewish Life, an arts and 
culture nonprofit. 
“My hope is that people 
still love movies as much as I 

do,” Grossman said. “I think 
the communal experience of 
going to see movies with a 
group of people in the dark 
at the same time lifts a type 
of energy you don’t get at 
home watching TV. I think 
there’s something special 
seeing movies together, and I 
hope we get more movies in 
theaters soon.”
Grossman, who wrote 
and directed the coming-
of-age film Hickey, already 

is thinking about the next 
movie he would like to make, 
and of special interest is one 
with a Jewish theme. 
“I spent some time at the 
Yiddish Book Center in 
Amherst, and we did a deep 
dive into Yiddish literature,” 
he said. “One of the stories I 
discovered there really spoke 
to me so I’m thinking about 
how to turn it into a movie. 
That might be my next 
project.” 

Details
Alex Grossman’s live introduction of That’s Funny can be
seen according to the dates below. Prices and details are
available at thatsfunnymovie.com.

Dec. 7: Capitol Theatre in Flint
Dec. 8: State Theater in Ann Arbor
Dec. 9: MJR Cinema in Troy
Dec. 10: Maple Art Theater in Bloomfield Hills
Dec. 11: Celebration Cinema! in Grand Rapids
Dec. 12: Goodrich Kalamazoo
Dec. 13: Farmington Civic Theater
Dec. 14: Goodrich Holland 7 in Goodrich

Alex 
Grossman

BEN CAIN

ALEX GROSSMAN

Ben Cain, 
Stephen Smith 
(cinematographer), 
Sean Goode (1st AC).