Real Life (1979)
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88% of critics liked it
(16 reviews) -
76% of users liked it
(1,125 ratings)
Albert Brooks made his feature-length debut as a writer and director with this wickedly funny satire, in which Albert Brooks plays "Albert Brooks," an arrogant and self-centered comedian who has decided to make a documentary film. Following the lead of the infamous pre-Real World PBS… More Albert Brooks made his feature-length debut as a writer and director with this wickedly funny satire, in which Albert Brooks plays "Albert Brooks," an arrogant and self-centered comedian who has decided to make a documentary film. Following the lead of the infamous pre-Real World PBS series An American Family (in which a "typical" family was filmed during most of their waking hours and eventually self-destructed on camera), Brooks moves in with the Yeager family of Phoenix, Arizona and chronicles their lives, with the support of a battery of psychiatrists and sociologists. He arrives at the Yeagers' doorstep with a two-man crew, wearing high-tech cameras that look like space helmets from a grade-B sci-fi movie, and it quickly becomes obvious that he is incapable of being unobtrusive. The Yeagers are driven to distraction by Brooks, who repeatedly ignores the advice of his team of experts and wishes there were some way to make the family's life more interesting (leading to perhaps the least expected homage to Gone With the Wind in film history). Of all Brooks' features, Real Life most resembles his cutting but deadpan short subjects for Saturday Night Live; Brooks never fails to cast himself in an unflattering light, and the supporting cast does admirable work in reacting to him, especially Charles Grodin and Lee McCain as Mr. and Mrs. Yeager. Harry Shearer contributed to the screenplay and plays a small role. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Albert Brooks
- Written By
- Albert Brooks, Monica Mcgowan Johnson, Harry Shearer, Monica Johnson
- Genres
- Comedy
PG,
- In Theaters
- Mar 2, 1979 Wide
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Janet Maslin, New York Times
Mr. Brooks is at his most droll.
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J. Hoberman, Village Voice
Albert Brooks's first and funniest feature.
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Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The first of Brooks' analytical comedies is his funniest and most rigorous
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Albert Brooks is so deft at showing how filmmaking distorts the very reality it aims to record honestly that it's hard to watch family documentaries anymore without thinking about Real Life.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Though amusing in spots, it goes too far with its one-note joke until it becomes abrasive.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Charles Grodin
as Warren Yeager
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Frances Lee McCain
as Jeanette Yeager
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J.A. Preston
as Dr. Ted Cleary
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Matthew Tobin
as Dr. Howard Hill
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Albert Brooks
as Himself
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Lisa Urette
as Lisa Yeager
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Dick Haynes
as Harris
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Robert Stirrat
as Eric Yeager
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David Spielberg
as Dr. Jeremy Nolan
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Jennings Lang
as Martin Brand
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Norman Bartold
as Dr. Isaac Steven
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Susan Clark
as Nurse
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Adam Grant
as The Feltons
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Johnny Haymer
as Dr. Rennert
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Julie Payne
as Dr. Kramer
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James Ritz
as Jack
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James L. Brooks
as Evaluator
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Mort Lindsey
as Himself
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Harry Shearer
as Pete
- S.W. Smith
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Zeke Manners
as Driver
- Joseph Schaffler
