I'm sure you meant to say, "Real Life" instead of "Modern Problems" in your description, Eric. Two thumbs up for uploading all these great Siskel & Ebert Sneak Previews/At the Movies episodes!
I saw this film a couple of decades later and found it hilarious, like Defending Your Life or Lost In America. He's even hilarious on Twitter. I'm with Gene on this one.
I watched "Real Life" in the theatre with about three people. Some of the jokes in it were lol priceless but, as Roger said, the first 15 minutes was about all you needed to see. What they don't say about this is that the film is mostly a parody of the mid-70s PBS real life documentary series called "The American Family" where some California family with the surname "Loud" (and you can guess what SNL did with that name) literally melts down over the course of a year on "hidden" cameras. The teenaged son comes out as gay, the couple wants a divorce, etc. It was all very depressing and this movie starts funny but gets depressing the longer you watch. Part of that is by design but Albert Brooks' manic personality wears thin in all his films after about 30 minutes.
I wonder if Ebert ever changed his mind on "Real Life". I've found that Albert Brooks movies stand up to repeat viewings. Brooks' persona may be off-putting to many on first viewing, but you realize the truthfulness of it later. The Criterion Collection has just announced it will be adding two Brooks classics to its library: "Mother" and "Real Life".
I personally find his brother, the late Bob Einstein (aka Super Dave Osborne) to be much funnier. I never really liked Albert Brooks' films in general. They're always self-deprecating and overall, dumb.
The problem with "Real Life" is there is too much of Albert Brooks and a little of his manic neurotic controlling act goes a LONG LONG WAY and I was irritated after 30 minutes! The better parody would have been if the Yeagers actually played up to believe that they were the stars and their interactions with the director and everyone else was a parody of Hollywood actors.
![Real Life (1979) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD]](/img/n.gif)
I remember seeing it.. it almost mirrors today's reality shows we have today!
I'm sure you meant to say, "Real Life" instead of "Modern Problems" in your description, Eric. Two thumbs up for uploading all these great Siskel & Ebert Sneak Previews/At the Movies episodes!
I saw this film a couple of decades later and found it hilarious, like Defending Your Life or Lost In America. He's even hilarious on Twitter. I'm with Gene on this one.
True, comedy is subjective.
I watched "Real Life" in the theatre with about three people. Some of the jokes in it were lol priceless but, as Roger said, the first 15 minutes was about all you needed to see. What they don't say about this is that the film is mostly a parody of the mid-70s PBS real life documentary series called "The American Family" where some California family with the surname "Loud" (and you can guess what SNL did with that name) literally melts down over the course of a year on "hidden" cameras. The teenaged son comes out as gay, the couple wants a divorce, etc. It was all very depressing and this movie starts funny but gets depressing the longer you watch. Part of that is by design but Albert Brooks' manic personality wears thin in all his films after about 30 minutes.
Good movie 😎
Ebert couldn’t be more wrong here. Real Life is one of the great comedies of the 70s
This movie aged great! Ebert was a hack.
I wonder if Ebert ever changed his mind on "Real Life". I've found that Albert Brooks movies stand up to repeat viewings. Brooks' persona may be off-putting to many on first viewing, but you realize the truthfulness of it later. The Criterion Collection has just announced it will be adding two Brooks classics to its library: "Mother" and "Real Life".
I personally find his brother, the late Bob Einstein (aka Super Dave Osborne) to be much funnier. I never really liked Albert Brooks' films in general. They're always self-deprecating and overall, dumb.
Wow….I don’t think DUMB is an adjective I would use to describe Albert Brooks’ material. It might not be for you - but it’s incredibly clever writing.
I agree. I just don’t get Albert Brooks. He’s so revered but I don’t find funny. His manic personality gets exhausting. Super Dave was pretty though
Never found Brooks funny.
The problem with "Real Life" is there is too much of Albert Brooks and a little of his manic neurotic controlling act goes a LONG LONG WAY and I was irritated after 30 minutes! The better parody would have been if the Yeagers actually played up to believe that they were the stars and their interactions with the director and everyone else was a parody of Hollywood actors.