Star of Saturday Night Live, Andy Kaufman’s unorthodox humour was misunderstood often. This is the story of his quick rise to fame, from his first stand-up performances in local clubs, to his role in the sitcom Taxi and a shocking wrestling show—to a last joke at his own funeral.

Few filmmakers can boast such persistent interest in outsider figures railing against the system as Miloš Forman. Man on the Moon takes a mallet to the traditions of the biopic with anarchic gusto, extracting a career-defining performance from Jim Carrey that transcends the bounds of impersonation.