Albert Brooks: Defending My Life

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).

Such an amazing way to see the shape of Albert Brooks' career. The standup featured in the opening, much of which I had never seen before, sets the stage for an amazing filmmaking career. He is both cerebral and meta and makes the viewer laugh at what their laughing at. So many people will get a glimpse of rarer movies, such as Real Life and Modern Romance and then delight in seeing Lost in America and Defending Your Life. I love the scene in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World and it makes me want to see it agin. The personal component about his childhood and family, gives it heart. I loved this documentary.

I didn't realize how funny Albert Brooks was I just love him as an actor and this documentary hits the spot for me makes me appreciate Albert even more! I need to see more of his work such a humble being. I'm blown away how Rob Reiner has been friends with Albert since he was 16 with great stories to go with it. I don't understand how someone else said watch one of his other films this is so worth learning about everything and I love it all. Once in awhile I crave documentaries especially ones about famous actors sometimes other subjects I'm happy to be in the minority that loves all of this gem.

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".

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.