We received a review copy of “Heckler,” the film by actor and comedian Jamie Kennedy but didn’t get around to watching it until last night. (It’s on the street as of yesterday, Sept. 9.)

To be quite honest, our impression of the film after watching the trailer many months ago was that it gave way too much prominence to hecklers and that the strategy seemed to be that Kennedy was aggressively engaging them and confronting them. We envisioned a knot-in-the-stomach viewing experience.

What we got instead was a thoughtful, insightful documentary that explores the phenomenon of heckling– why they do it, how comedians regard hecklers, how they deal with hecklers– and also examines just what effect that critics have on performers and other artists like directors and writers. And just what qualifies these critics to do what they do.

Being comedians, we could have watched an entire movie just about hecklers. The quick-cut interviews– in green rooms, living rooms, on the street, in offices and in a cutting room– are hilarious at times, thought-provoking and profane at others. But this is like two different movies. One on hecklers and the other on critics, particularly movie critics.

Of course, making a movie that so thoroughly seeks to discredit critics might make that movie critic-proof. However, we shall endeavor to review the movie anyway. (It is against our policy to review anything– movies, TV shows, standup performances, etc. We do so only rarely. And when we do, we attempt to do so, as advised by Dr. Drew Pinsky– who also appears in “Heckler”– with empathy.)

Kennedy has appeared or starred in a few films that seem to have inspired particularly vitriolic reactions from the movie reviewers, both in print and online. In some of the more fascinating (and somewhat uncomfortable) moments in the movie, he confronts, on camera, some of his critics– Richard Roeper being the most famous of the bunch– and asks exactly why they felt the need to be so vicious.

He also solicits quotes from actors, directors and producers– Joel Schumacher, Eli Roth, Joe Mantegna and a particularly exuberant Peter Guber– about their atttitude toward critics and what their contribution is, if any, to the process of movie making.

Many of the scenes involve Kennedy, in the greenroom, after the show, confronting the people who have interrupted that evening’s show. He grills them on why they did what they did, what possible good they think might come from such rudeness. It’s gutsy and it is, at times, riveting, as the deluded hecklers insist that they’re only trying to help Kennedy be a better comic!

And watching him confront his critics– while reading aloud each critic’s malicious passages– is like seeing a fantasy played out for real. How many of us have thought about confronting those who have said bad things about us– in or out of print– but have never acted on the impulse? Kennedy does just that and the result is often poignant.

In one particularly bizarre segment, Kennedy encounters Peter Grumbine. (Although Grumbine is a comedian who apparently reviews movies for websites such as Giant(?), he is identified only as “blogger.”) There’s a lot of sweating and awkward pauses.

Kennedy seems vulnerable throughout the film, even visiting his physician at one point and complaining of depression. In the trailer, if we recall correctly, it seemed like Kennedy was antagonistic or combative. In reality, he is more plaintive, more frustrated and mystified as to why the critics seems intent on attacking him personally rather than attacking the film. In the case of the heckler, he wonders why they just don’t walk out!

Also included in the film is famous clips from heckler history– Reagan telling a heckler “Oh, just shut up!”, James Inman getting socked onstage and the guy who smashed his guitar over a heckler’s head.

It’s mandatory viewing for anyone in the business and it’s a must own for comedians, right up there with Seinfeld’s “Comedian” and a VHS copy of “Punchline!”

It stars, among many others, Louie Anderson, Joe Rogan, Lewis Black, Kathy Griffin, Jon Lovitz and Arsenio Hall.