★ 5 / 10
When someone helps to shift the direction of
Brent Marchant
When someone helps to shift the direction of something, regardless of the milieu involved, there’s a natural inclination to want to celebrate that individual’s…
When someone helps to shift the direction of something, regardless of the milieu involved, there’s a natural inclination to want to celebrate that individual’s contributions. In the area of stand-up comedy, one of the names that frequently comes to mind is Albert Brooks (born Albert Einstein – really). In the 1970s, his inventiveness took comedy in a new direction, inspiring others to follow suit and forever changing the art form, and this new HBO documentary from Brooks’s lifelong friend, director Rob Reiner, is an apparently sincere attempt at paying tribute to the writer-actor-comedian-director. Unfortunately, this effort misses the mark in many respects (though it admittedly improves markedly in the picture’s back half). Perhaps the biggest issue here is Reiner himself; as someone who has known Brooks since high school, he’s probably too close to the material to present a balanced view of his subject. Many of his interview sequences with Brooks come across as two old friends reminiscing about the past without providing sufficient back story information for the viewers, the result being a vehicle that’s a little too “inside” for audiences to fully appreciate the point of their conversations. What’s more, the film has an annoying tendency to gush, especially when it comes to the comedian’s early routines, work that may have been cutting-edge when first introduced but that, frankly, hasn’t withstood the test of time. Toning down the hype here would help immeasurably, particularly in the film’s interview segments with peers and admirers (including such entertainment industry heavy hitters as Chris Rock, Wanda Sykes, Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman, Larry David, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, Stephen Spielberg, James L. Brooks and Judd Apatow, among others), which often treat Brooks as the sole progenitor of innovative stand-up comedy. This is clearly a case of overstatement, especially since there were others at the time doing similarly inventive routines. The picture’s opening sequence, largely devoted to the foregoing, rambles along far too long, too, delaying its treatment of what works best in this documentary – an examination of Brooks’s achievements as the director of such movies as “Real Life” (1979), “Lost in America” (1985), “Defending Your Life” (1991) (his best work) and “Mother” (1996), as well as his performances in films like “Taxi Driver” (1976), “Broadcast News” (1987), “Drive” (2011) and “Concussion” (2015) and his animation voiceover work in “Finding Nemo” (2003), “Finding Dory” (2016) and his multiple appearances on the long-running TV series The Simpsons. These are the endeavors in which Brooks’s brilliance truly shines, and they generally deserve better, more complete treatment than what they receive here. Don’t get me wrong here – I’m a big fan of Brooks; however, I wish his talents and achievements had been showcased in a better film than what’s on offer here. If you really want to get to know Brooks better, watch one of his films – they’ll show you more about him than anything featured in this documentary.
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★ 8 / 10
Overdue Look at a Brilliant Comic Mind and a Most Audacious Spirit
EUyeshima
Albert Brooks has always been criminally underrated, first as a stand-up comic, then as a filmmaker and casting himself as the leading man, and finally as a…
Albert Brooks has always been criminally underrated, first as a stand-up comic, then as a filmmaker and casting himself as the leading man, and finally as a character actor in other people's movies ("Broadcast News", "Drive"). His off-the-ledge audacity and unique sense of the absurd didn't go over with everybody, but he is revered by fellow comics and those of us dazzled by his laser-sharp wit. It was smart to have his best friend Rob Reiner direct and interview him in this fleet but invaluable 2023 documentary. Their casual rapport not only helps offset some of the more zealous comments from his celebrity fans but provides insightful context to the most memorable moments of his career including two of my favorite films, "Lost in America" and "Defending Your Life". They also delve into his fascinating star-studded childhood when his successful comedian father died at a Friars Roast for Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. It made me wonder if it was Brooks' idea for his character to die in the opening moments of "Private Benjamin" when his zealous bridegroom has a fatal wedding night coronary while having sex with Goldie Hawn. After all, he finds humor in the least likely situations.
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★ 5 / 10
Rob Reiner likes his friend Albert Brooks
hayley96
There's a danger in saluting your friend to an audience. Especially when you commit your adulation to film. And then sell it for showing to the masses. I kind…
There's a danger in saluting your friend to an audience. Especially when you commit your adulation to film. And then sell it for showing to the masses. I kind of see Albert Brooks as a better looking forerunner to Larry David. He's turns annoyance and insecurity into an art form.
But as original as he may have been in his early days , he was often better in other director's material like Taxi Driver and Broadcast News.
The film is more of a friendly chat between long time pals than a serious dissection of Brooks impact on comedy. Honestly, some of the bits Brooks did as a kid killed Rob's dad's friends but struck me as "had to be there" moments.
In sum, it's not a terrible documentary but unless you are a comic nerd, it's a bit dull.
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"Nicolas Cage as Self" 10:1 odds that he screws that part up too.