It's natural to celebrate the contributions of someone who helps shape a field, and when it comes to stand-up comedy, Albert Brooks (born Albert Einstein—seriously) is often cited as an innovator. In the 1970s, his originality pushed comedy in a new direction, influencing others and permanently altering the art form. This new HBO documentary from Rob Reiner, a lifelong friend of Brooks’s, seems to be a genuine attempt at honoring this writer, actor, comedian, and director. Sadly, it falls short in several ways, although it does noticeably improve later on. Perhaps the biggest problem is Reiner himself; having known Brooks since high school, he may be too personally connected to the subject matter to offer a well-rounded perspective. Many of his conversations with Brooks feel like two old friends simply reminiscing, without providing enough background information for viewers, making it somewhat insular and difficult for audiences to fully grasp the purpose of their discussions. Furthermore, the film has an irritating habit of excessive praise, particularly when discussing his early routines, which were groundbreaking at the time but haven’t entirely held up over the years. Reducing the hype would be beneficial, especially during interviews with fellow performers and admirers—including Chris Rock, Wanda Sykes, Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman, Larry David, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, Steven Spielberg, James L. Brooks, and Judd Apatow, among others—which frequently portray Brooks as the single originator of inventive stand-up comedy. That's an exaggeration, given that other comedians were doing similarly creative material at the time. The documentary’s initial segment, largely focused on these points, drags on for too long, delaying its focus on what works best: an exploration of Brooks’s achievements as a director—including “Real Life” (1979), “Lost in America” (1985), “Defending Your Life” (1991) (considered his finest work), and “Mother” (1996)—as well as his acting roles in films like “Taxi Driver” (1976), “Broadcast News” (1987), “Drive” (2011), and “Concussion” (2015), plus his voiceover work on animated features such as “Finding Nemo” (2003) and “Finding Dory” (2016), and his numerous appearances on The Simpsons. It’s in these areas that Brooks's talent truly shines, and they generally warrant more thorough consideration than they receive here. I am a fan of Brooks, but I wish his talents had been presented in a stronger film. If you want to understand Brooks better, watch one of his movies—they will reveal more about him than this documentary does.

Source on TMDB