Albert Brooks: Defending My Life

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Albert Brooks: Defending My Life

2023

1h 22m

Documentary

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Since the late 1960s, Albert Brooks has been a major force in American comedy with his smart, sometimes absurdist, and truly unique sense of humor. From stand-up, to acting, to writing and directing short films, to his seven, iconic, original motion pictures, including "Modern Romance," "Lost in America," "Mother," and more, Brooks has paved the way for future generations and remains a comedic force in a league of his own. With testimonials from some of the brightest comedy talents and serious thinkers, as well as family and friends, ALBERT BROOKS: DEFENDING MY LIFE chronicles Brooks' very early work all the way to present day. In this deep and personal conversation, Reiner and Brooks explore the origins and evolution of Brooks' career, the impetus for his creativity, and the impact he has had on the world of comedy.

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Critics Consensus

Albert Brooks: Defending My Life offers an engrossing and suitably funny overview of its subject's career -- and one that'll leave you wanting to watch more of his work.

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Dan Einav

Financial Times

The 90-minute special doubles as both an end-of-career retrospective and an engaging introduction...

Rated: 4/5

Dec 15, 2023

Full Review

Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

Both a comprehensive primer and a nostalgic celebration, it successfully makes the case that few 20th-century funnymen were as daring, pioneering, or outright amusing.

Nov 11, 2023

Full Review

Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

This film will be a treat for anyone who loves any part of Brooks' career, or all of it. And its subject is so fascinating and open-hearted that one can imagine people who've never heard his name until now getting something out of it, too.

Rated: 3.5/4

Nov 10, 2023

Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

A documentary guaranteed to make you laugh about one of the greatest comedians of our time.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 27, 2023

Full Review

Robert W. Butler

Butler's Cinema Scene

A big chunk of the film is devoted to a conversation between Reiner and his subject... it’s like hanging out with a couple of good friends.

Rated: B+

Dec 7, 2023

Full Review

Manuel Betancourt

FilmWeek (LAist)

If you love Albert Brooks, you're going to love Albert Brooks: Defending My Life... [But] it's not as comprehensive as I'd want.

Nov 29, 2023

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alan G.

Since when was Albert Brooks a major force in comedy? Maybe in his own mind. A weak unfunny sad little man maybe. Unworthy of a biography.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/26/25

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Rocko P

A looong 1hr and 20 minutes. I've really enjoyed somes of Brooks works, and roles, but..having to endure the OG Nepo-baby Rob Reiner yapping away just sucked.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/08/25

Full Review

Mason M

I'm not usually a big fan of documentaries but this was quite good. I mostly enjoyed it because Albert Brooks is my favorite comedian and this was a well explained exploration of his career.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/07/24

Full Review

ala b

This film was incredible. Can’t believe they fit everything in 90 minutes!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/18/24

Full Review

maggie l

I came across this tonight on Max. I saw that it was nominated for several Emmy awards so I thought I would watch. This guy is amazing. The documentary really had some great moments. It felt like I discovered a new person who was always there. Highly recommended.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/17/24

Full Review

Alan g

One of the most depressing movies ever made.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/16/24

Full Review

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Rob Reiner

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Albert Brooks: Defending My Life: Trailer

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Synopsis

Since the late 1960s, Albert Brooks has been a major force in American comedy with his smart, sometimes absurdist, and truly unique sense of humor. From stand-up, to acting, to writing and directing short films, to his seven, iconic, original motion pictures, including "Modern Romance," "Lost in America," "Mother," and more, Brooks has paved the way for future generations and remains a comedic force in a league of his own. With testimonials from some of the brightest comedy talents and serious thinkers, as well as family and friends, ALBERT BROOKS: DEFENDING MY LIFE chronicles Brooks' very early work all the way to present day. In this deep and personal conversation, Reiner and Brooks explore the origins and evolution of Brooks' career, the impetus for his creativity, and the impact he has had on the world of comedy.

Director: Rob Reiner
Producer: Rob Reiner, Michele Singer, Matthew George
Distributor: HBO
Production Co: HBO Documentary Films, Castle Rock Entertainment
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 11, 2023
Runtime: 1h 22m

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