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Too Funny To Fail

Play trailer 1:45 Poster for Too Funny To Fail 2017 Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 94% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Too Funny To Fail

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Critics Consensus

Offering a detailed and highly entertaining oral history of the failed Dana Carvey Show, Too Funny to Fail is too funny to be missed.

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Critics Reviews

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Lara Zarum Village Voice 11/08/2017
Too Funny to Fail, which is now streaming on Hulu, is a sprightly and hilarious look at what a title card calls "arguably one of the most spectacular failures in television history." Go to Full Review
Julie Hinds Detroit Free Press 10/25/2017
The documentary revels in the details of how the show confounded the network and infuriated many viewers during its seven-episode run. Go to Full Review
Ian Crouch The New Yorker 10/25/2017
For a movie about a cancelled TV show, Too Funny to Fail is surprisingly cheerful, in large part owing to the fact that so many of the performers and writers on the show went on to such great comedy heights. Go to Full Review
Dorothy Woodend The Tyee (British Columbia) 03/07/2018
As a film, Too Funny to Fail is workman-like. It does the job it needs to do, gives the performers room, and assembles the pieces of the story in a clear and coherent fashion. Go to Full Review
Adrian Mack Georgia Straight 03/05/2018
With some of the funniest people on Earth enthusiastically discussing their greatest failure, it's the interviews that really sell this insanely entertaining film. Go to Full Review
Josh Sorokach Decider 12/20/2017
... Too Funny To Fail is one of the most entertaining comedy documentaries in recent history. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jackson H Aug 14 I watched The Dana Carvey Show, it was too funny and too smart for the common prime time viewer. So much talent in that show and this documentary does a great job telling the behind the scenes story of the show. I think I have watched this at least 15 times. The part where they play the commercial for Home Improvement and the son is having a cancer scare and then they play the Dana Carvey Show ad immediately afterwards is one of the funniest things ever. I remember seeing the ad and could not believe how clueless ABC was about what Dana Carvey was going to do with his show. The Skinheads From Maine, Dumb Pranksters and when Mountain Dew was the sponsor and they made fun of it because it resembles urine was way over board for mid nineties prime time. I always wished he would have put it on HBO, it would still be on. See more Jeff M 02/11/2024 Dana Carvey was hotter than hot after his departure from Saturday Night Live, so his own prime time sketch show seemed like a home run even in theory. However, this fantastically interesting documentary about said show - which only lasted 8 episodes - is proof that the finest ingredients don't necessarily result in a terrific meal. Was it a bad show or was it just ahead of its time? I suppose we'll never know. It seems like it could have developed a cult following if it had been given a chance. In any case, this is a must see for comedy nerds like myself, especially those interested in Saturday Night Live. Interviews include Carvey, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert and Robert Smigel, all of whom were involved in the show. I found myself laughing loud and laughing often - one moment in particular involving its lead-in show HOME IMPROVEMENT still makes me laugh just thinking about it. Even if you don't generally care for documentaries, I think you'll find a lot to like here if the subject matter interests you at all. And you'll never be able to erase the memory of seeing Carvey as a multi-nippled Bill Clinton nursing a cadre of animals. Some things are just too twisted for color TV. See more Torin F 06/04/2023 Very funny in its own right, TOO FUNNY tells an interesting origin story for some major names in comedy and culture, all while reminding us what a legend Dana Carvey is, and sharing some of the failed show's wacky humor. See more 04/30/2021 This is not just hilarious - there are some great moments - but it's a flat-out inspiring story of just GOING FOR IT and how (when you do) even failure is success. See more 08/16/2020 Documentary about the sketch show that Dana Carvey put together after he left SNL, the people involved, and the trajectory from high expectations to cancelation. I'm not super familiar with him or SNL, but it was pretty interesting watching all these people talk about how the show came to be. Seeing a lot of familiar faces really helped make a connection with past and present. I now know where the "da Bears" thing comes from. See more 06/16/2020 There is no way this should have been made without Louis CK contributing to the interviews. It was still really fun to watch, but man what a bummer to not have his perspective included. See more Read all reviews
Too Funny To Fail

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Movie Info

Director
Josh Greenbaum