Exporting Raymond

I know what you're thinking. "But I don't like 'Everybody Loves Raymond! Why would I want to watch this?" To which I reply, to your first point, "You are an asshole. It is a very good show, stop being an elitist prick and just enjoy yourself!" To your second, I reply, "You want to see this because it is, quite frankly, one of the funniest, sharpest, and completely entertaining documentaries I've ever seen." This is, in my opinion, the best documentary of the year. We follow Rosenthal from the original idea to the other side of the world as he tries to tune his show to fit the Russian sensibility, work in a creative environment that makes no sense to him, and deal with the absurd logistics of working in Russia. I cannot count the number of absolute laugh out loud moments in this film. Be it dealing with the new head of network comedy (a man who knows a significant amount more about lasers than comedy), trying to get the head of the Moscow Art Theatre to allow one of his actors to appear in the show (The Moscow Art Theatre is where Stanislavski did his writings on "the method," and Chekov premiered "The Seagull"), or attempting to translate the delicate physical comedy of a nut shot this movie has no shortage of genuinely funny moments. (At one point a joke about a "Fruit of the Month Club," had to be changed to "Water of the Week" because there is no "Fruit of the Month Club" in Russia… but apparently "Water of the Week" is a booming industry.) There are some touching scenes as well, Rosenthal bonding with his bodyguard (who would have preferred to have spent his life writing about sea shells), and spending an evening with a Russian family (and seeing just how similar we really are) add a nice emotional weight to the otherwise light proceedings. You could not write comedy this brilliant or moving. The film basically asks the question, "How difficult is it to let go of something you spent years of your life creating and let someone else make it their own." If you only see one documentary in the next two years, do yourself a favor and see this one.

It should have been classified as a documentary with a few laughs.

Shortly after he met the show's director and actors in Russia you knew the show was going to be a tough sell. Some humour doesn't cross culture lines. Try telling some seemingly funny jokes from Canada/USA to someone in India/Mexico/Peru and it just doesn't translate.

I would guess Russians don't insult their family members, people in authority, or argue over trivial matters. If they laugh at their version of "I Dream of Jeanie" or "The Nanny" they would get the humour of the Beverly Hillbillies or Green Acres (site gags and misunderstandings).

From what they showed of Russian humour it is from the Vaudville era.

I just recently saw a test screening of this film at my school. Apart from issue-driven documentaries with some comedic elements like Super Size Me and Michael Moore's films, "Exporting Raymond" may very well be the first true comedy documentary.

While running into language barriers and culture differences as to what is funny, director Rosenthal tells a very funny and surprisingly often touching story about his efforts to adapt his American hit "Everybody Loves Raymond" for Russian audiences.

It is filled with several memorable "characters" that you just can't make up in real life! And you don't have to be a fan of the TV show to enjoy this documentary!

"Exporting Raymond" is an entertaining and insightful documentary that follows Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal as he attempts to adapt his hit sitcom for a Russian audience. The film thrives on Rosenthal's neurotic humor and fish-out-of-water persona, as he struggles with cultural differences, skeptical producers, and a creative team that doesn't quite share his comedic vision.

One of the documentary's biggest strengths is its behind-the-scenes look at the complexities of adapting American humor for a foreign market. Watching Rosenthal navigate language barriers and cultural misunderstandings provides plenty of laughs, but also offers an interesting commentary on the universality (or lack thereof) of comedy. His interactions with the Russian cast and crew, particularly the stubborn costume designer and the gruff, no-nonsense network executives, make for some of the film's most memorable moments.

However, while the documentary is charming and funny, it does feel repetitive at times, with some conflicts dragging on longer than necessary. Rosenthal's self-deprecating style is engaging, but his frequent bewilderment occasionally borders on exasperating. A bit more exploration into the success (or failure) of the adaptation after his departure would have added a stronger conclusion.

Overall, Exporting Raymond is an enjoyable, lighthearted look at the challenges of cross-cultural entertainment. While it doesn't delve too deeply into the bigger questions about globalization and media, it's a fun and engaging watch-especially for fans of Everybody Loves Raymond or anyone interested in the business of television.

Phil Rosenthal is the co-creator of the hit American TV show "Everybody Loves Raymond". He is offered a chance to adapt it to Russian TV. He is brought to Moscow but it's a case of fish out of water. An early nemesis is costumer Elena Starodubtseva who wants the highest of fashion for this regular middle class family. The writers are single and they don't get his comedy about marriage. Later, Phil finds out that they are overworked in this new field of sitcom writing in Russia. His constant support is translator Marina. There are problems with the executives and the hiring of the lead that he wants. In the end, it is the twists and turns of getting a TV show put on the screen. I don't watch "Everybody Loves Raymond" but that doesn't matter. It is a very insightful look in TV production no matter where. It is compelling to see if it works and actually funny with the exasperated Phil.