Albert Brooks: Defending My Life

One of the important funny men of the 70s-90s gets his own documentary from his friend Rob Reiner.

If you're not familiar with the stand-up by Albert Brooks, which I was not, you should know some of his movies - Modern Romance (1981), Lost in America (1985), Mother (1996), etc. And if you're not familiar with his movies, then perhaps with his performances - Broadcast News (1987), Finding Nemo (2003), Drive (2011), etc. And if you're still not familiar with him, geeze, I don't know how you've gone through life without seeing at least of these movies.

I've always held Brooks in my mind as a toned-down Woody Allen kind of figure, presumably because he did share some of the stylings in the movies that he wrote-directed-featured-in. He has worked on so many good films, regardless of his part in it, that it's hard to ignore him as an important artist of his era. Proof to that is the quantity and quality of talking heads who took part in retelling his story, from Stephen Spielberg to Ben Stiller to David Letterman (and many more). You get a good sense of the kind of guy Albert Brooks is and a taste of some of his memorable works, but a lot of the focus is on his irreverence as a stand-up comedian - which is probably where the value is in this, because the movies will always stand on their own.

Other than that, the documentary is traditional to a t, going over the career of AB while adding some context via a one on one interview between him and Rob Reiner. There's a fair amount of funny stuff in it, if not riveting, and a warm portrait of a guy who has left his own distinctive mark in "the business".

Not as much a documentary as two old friends having a long discussion. It's Rob Reiner's MY DINNER WITH EINSTEIN.

Einstein here is, of course, known to the world as Albert Brooks. Reiner and Brooks have been friends for some 60 years. It's a very chummy look at his life and career. The clips are good, if not long enough to really capture Brooks' sense of humor. The guest interviews include a lot of mutual friends such as Larry David, Judd Apatow, Steven Spielberg etc. And they never hit very deeply either. Brooks fondly recalls his show business upbringing as his parents were both performers (curiously, Brooks' late brother, comedian Bob Einstein, is given almost no mention at all).

Most interesting here are the pre-SNL and Tonight Show footage showing the young Brooks developing his routines on variety programs hosted by the likes of Johnny Cash, The Everly Brothers and Helen Reddy. Brooks is working out his thoughts on the nature of comedy itself. His act occassionally veers into Andy Kauffman level conceptual art - with a less dangerous edge, perhaps. Even in this nascent stage, Brooks' greatest strength is that his "characters" are really just himself. What sets Brooks apart from most comics is his willingness to be unlikeable - often, deeply so. Narscistic. Venal. Mean. Conceited. It's that lack of traditional warmth that explains why for such a famed and lauded creator, he's only made seven films over a 50+ year career (although it's never directly explored here). Of course, it's Brooks' sarcastic humor and intelligent irony that has made him an icon.

DEFENDING MY LIFE is an enjoyable look for fans of Brooks but don't expect anything probing or challenging (curiously, unlike his actual work).

This is a great and very personal documentary of the living comic, writer, actors nd Director, Albert Brooks. Best friend and star in his own right, Rob Reiner, put together this great living retrospective of the life and career of Albert "Brooks" Einstein. The documentary has many clips, interviews, and one and one conversations between Brooks and Reiner. Brooks was a transformative entertainer and I really had no idea how many people's lives and careers he shaped. The stories of the origins of Saturday Night Live and his parents were worth watching alone. I was always a bigger fan of his beloved and deceased brother, Super Dave Osbourne aka Bob Einstein but Albert Is a unique talent.

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.

2023 Documentary about the innovative, genius Comedian, filmmaker, actor this is Albert Brooks. The Director Rob Reiner takes us through Brooks's career via appearances on tv shows and films. As well as a sit down interview with Brooks and Reiner at Matteo's Restaurant in LA. Along with the many stars that are fans of Albert's. Such as Sharon Stone, Judd Apatow, James L Brooks, Larry David, Jonah Hill, Chris Rock, David Letterman, Nikki Glaser, Anthony Jeselnik, Conan O'brien, Sarah Silverman. After watching this Documentary you will need to see some of his great films like Mother (1996), The Muse (1999), Lost in America (1985) etc. Then you will want to go to Youtube and watch him on the Tonight Show and Letterman. I remember the first time I ever heard of Albert Brooks was his short films on SNL back in the 1970s which were so creative. Thank you Rob Reiner for showing us the career of your good friend Albert Brooks.