If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast

This is a heartwarming film about people in their nineties, mostly celebrities, who discuss what keeps them going in life.

I enjoyed seeing all of the participants, especially Dick Van Dyke and Betty White, who I remember from the 1950s, both of whom are still lively past the age of 90.

What I did not like about the film is the implication that we can all be as fortunate as the individuals depicted. Medical problems are not discussed, nor is the fact that most people simply die before they reach eighty years of age. I did not like the fact that the film suggests that we can all stay alive and healthy with a "can-do" spirit. This idea is so simplistic and inaccurate, it's almost offensive.

However, I do recommend the film, due to the fact that the participants are all interesting and inspirational.

This bored millennial was struggling to find something interesting or entertaining to stream tonight and stumbled upon this gem! What a charming, simple, and well done documentary. Great meaningful messages about life and vitality. Hope to live as long, vital, happy, and successful as everyone featured. Very inspiring ! Already recommending to friends and I'm going make my parents to watch it too!

It was wonderful seeing the great celebrities I grew up with from the 1950's-1960's. The thing is that all these people are rich. They didn't find any washed up or middle class or poor celebrities. They found folks with trainers, dietitians, and all the money in the world to fix anything short of falling off a cliff. Nor did they mention if any of these folks had any serious health issues in their past. DNA and luck plays a huge part in this story. Still, in spite of the huge departure from reality (What am I saying? This is TV!)it was an enjoyable documentary if for no other reason to see all these wonderful artists talk about their versions of why they aren't dead yet. One last thing...while these artists put on a show for the cameras, you could see they were struggling to keep up. Clearly, they are doing well considering their age...but sharp? I don't think so.

"If You're Not In the Obit, Eat Breakfast" (2017 release; 86 min.) is a documentary hosted by Carl Reiner, about the amazing number of people over 90 years old (himself included, of course), who continue to thrive in life and at work. As the movie's opening credits roll, Tony Bennett croons "The Best Is Yet to Come", just beautiful. We then catch up with Carl, who is starting out the day as he does every single day: he reads the obits to make sure he is not in them, ha! But the one day, when Polly Bergen passes away, there he is in a large photo of both Polly and himself ("I guess they couldn't find a single decent picture of just Polly by herself!" muses Carl.) That gives Carl and director Danny Gold the idea to make a documentary about people over 90 to whom age is just a number, starting with Stan Harper. At this point we are 10 min. into the documentary, but to tell you more of the 'plot' would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: Danny Gold is a veteran producer-director of documentaries. In his latest, he takes a fond and gentle look at some amazing people over 90 years old, including Mel Brooks, Dick Van Dyke, Norman Lear, etc. They all have their own reasoning for doing what they're doing. Irving Fields puts it like this: "I could work 9 days a week and not be tired!". Take that, lazy "Eight Days a Week" Beatles! But the consensus is more or less: exercise, genes, and good health. It's all brought with a wink and a smile, and you can't help but admire and being a bit jealous (in the nicest possible way).

I recently stumbles on this documentary at HBO On Demand. So glad I took the time to watch this. If you are in the mood for a lighthearted documentary about life over 90, by all means, I encourage you to check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

This is the most powerful, uplifting, wonderful documentary I have seen in....well, maybe ever. It touched so many warm places in my soul that I can't even begin to relate them all.

Carl Reiner hosts celebrities who give us deeply personal glimpses into their thoughts at the age of 90 and beyond. Rather than being a showcase of past glory and faded memories by icons you might remember, this film is a celebration of all that has brought these people to this age and taught them how to live well and thrive. You might think that being celebrities with wealth and fame, their kind of happiness would be foreign to common folks like us. But as we visit with each celebrity, the common denominator of their humanity sweeps away the star stuff. They make it very clear we all face the same mortality, suffer the same losses, and find our joy in life through the same simple values. When you have lived to 90 and beyond, you have nothing more to prove. Live well and abide by the simple wisdom of just being yourself, giving, loving, and having purpose in your life.

In a world that seems to be increasingly marked by milestones of tragedy and loss, this documentary serves as a joyous reminder of what is really important in life. It has impacted me deeply, at age 60. And my 90 year old mother in law was just as moved when she saw it. She has asked to watch it again.

If I could, I would personally thank every one who was interviewed for this film for giving so much of themselves. Those who filmed, edited, and created the vessel to convey these messages did an outstanding job. This was beautiful, entertaining, and thought provoking in a way that makes you just want to burst with happiness. It was a truly unexpected gift. Thank you.