The King of Staten Island trailer: Pete Davidson tackles real-life loss in this tragicomedy

Scott dreams of becoming a tattoo artist, but the prospect does not look bright. He lives with his mother (Marisa Tomei) who begins a relationship with a firefighter, greatly disturbing Scott.

The film appears to tackle mental trauma and grief through the prism of comedy, and judging purely by the trailer, it seems to be working. The King of Staten Island looks funny and ultimately hopeful despite a fairly depressing premise.

Also, it is personal. Pete Davidson’s father, who was a New York City firefighter, died while responding to the Sept. 11 attacks.

The film’s official synopsis reads, “Scott (Davidson) has been a case of arrested development ever since his firefighter father died when he was seven. He’s now reached his mid-20s having achieved little, chasing a dream of becoming a tattoo artist that seems far out of reach. As his ambitious younger sister (Maude Apatow, HBO’s Euphoria) heads off to college, Scott is still living with his exhausted ER nurse mother (Oscar® winner Marisa Tomei) and spends his days smoking weed, hanging with the guys—Oscar (Ricky Velez, Master of None), Igor (Moises Arias, Five Feet Apart) and Richie (Lou Wilson, TV’s The Guest Book)—and secretly hooking up with his childhood friend Kelsey (Bel Powley, Apple TV+’s The Morning Show).”

The King of Staten Island will be available to watch on demand from June 12.