Read my interview with Director Asghar Farhadi here!

Limacher Low Down:  A Separation recently won the 2012 Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and it is easy to understand why.  The film is a character study of several people living in Iran and the circumstances they find themselves in drives the movie. The acting is outstanding, and while a few things may be lost on viewers that don’t understand the culture, the story can easily be considered universal.

The movie begins in a courtroom, and we see two people through the eyes of the judge. Immediately we learn that a couple has filed for divorce, and the only thing holding up the proceedings is the issue of custody of their young daughter.  Nader (Peyman Moadi) is the father who wants to stay in Iran with his daughter to take care of his elderly father who is stricken with dementia. Simin (Leila Hatami) is the mother who wants to flee from Iran and move somewhere to be with her family without possible prosecution. Simin wants to leave right away before her passport expires, and does not want to leave without her husband and daughter. This is really an interesting set of circumstances. When most of us think of divorce, it is because of issues that cannot be resolved. This couple still loves each other, but because of insinuating circumstances, they need to divorce.

There is a moving scene in Nader and Simin’s apartment where they discuss the court proceedings with their daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi). Nader is a loving father, and it seems while Termeh speaks with Simin, she wants to stay with her Father. Simin understands that she needs to leave and leaves the number of a person to take care of Nader’s ailing father since she will no longer be around to take care of him. Enter Razieh (Sareh Bayat) who becomes the caretaker of Nader’s father.

Razieh has strict religious beliefs which don’t allow her to take care of some of the duties that she needs to perform to take care of Nader’s father. After thinking long and hard about whether or not to return the next day, she does. This is interesting because it gives some insight into the religious beliefs of some in Iran, and where the line is truly drawn. It also shows that people can/will do whatever they can to support their family in times of need and that theme builds the crescendo of the film.

Razieh returns the following day to take care of Nader’s father, but leaves to take care of some personal business. Instead of taking care of Nader’s father, she decides to get creative with his care.  Nader returns home to find his father nearly dead lying on the floor.  Razieh and Nader exchange some words that leads into another story that starts to develop into multiple story-lines which all come together.  Putting the angst into the heart of the audience, the film made me question my own emotions and left me curious where the story would  go next.

Nader receives a call that Razieh is in the hospital and that Simin is still with her family in the city. Nader and Simin rush to the hospital to find out what happened to Razieh and to find out if there is anything they can do to help. They come across Razieh’s husband, Hodjat (Shahab Hosseini), who at first is very calm and thankful that Nader and Simin have come to the hospital to check on his wife.  While Nader is first greeted with grace by Razieh’s husband, things change rapidly and Nader finds himself the target of a lawsuit.  This is the point in the movie where I lost all control of how to react. I started to question the people and how I might react in a similar situation. This scene really opens up the characters to scrutiny, and when you think you have answers . . . all the questions develop more questions.

Facts come to light, but not all the answers are given and it remains up to the viewer to draw their own conclusion. The movie flows continuously and is unrelenting as a way of making the viewer not only question the actions of the actors, but also question how they would react in a similar situation. Right when you think everything is tied up the ending comes and leaves the biggest question of all.  Read my interview with Director Asghar Farhadi to get more of an understanding about the climax.

The film grants the audience the proverbial fly on the wall perspective to the drama that unfolds over the course of the story. While it may not be for everyone, people who enjoy drama and excellent story-telling will be more than inclined to go out of their way to see “A Separation”.  The thing that makes this film so compelling is the way the story sticks with you. These are not characters who are easily forgotten, and it is films like this that make movie going a genuine experience.

Belongs squarely in the . . .

Limacher Low Down: The Sitter has previews that offer a pretty decent glimpse into the entire story line of the movie; an R rated remake of “Adventures in Babysitting”. The problem with trying to retell a classic of a generation is the fact it may not work well, and that is certainly the case with “The Sitter”. Jokes that some may get don’t always hit with others, and the only thing that made me laugh a handful of times were the one liners. The plot developed poorly, certain things were predictable, and the end couldn’t come soon enough.

“The Sitter” starts off with a rather “racy” scene where Noah (Jonah Hill) is doing everything he can to make the girl he wants, Marissa (Ari Graynor), like him even a little. We find out that Noah has no job, no money, and no license; when his mom asks him for a favor, to babysit her friends’ kids so she can meet a new man and get some extra cash for him, Noah reluctantly accepts. This part of the movie really shows us how wrapped up in himself Noah is, but why? We get a little background to the family life, but it seems a little preachy and a meager way of setting up future plot points.

So, Noah takes the job, not like he has anything better to do!  We meet the first kid, Slater (Max Records). Slater is a seemingly misunderstood kid who faces the pressures of someone twice his age, at least in his own mind. Noah then is introduced to Blithe (Landry Bender). Blithe is eager to grow up like  a Hilton or a Lohan, she says everything is “hot” and likes to put on make-up that would make Tammy Faye Baker cringe. Lastly, we meet Rodrigo (Kevin Hernandez). Rodrigo was adopted and brought in from El Salvador. Rodrigo definitely has a chip on his shoulder.

The kids’ parents leave quickly, and like most brats, they start testing the patience of their new babysitter, Noah. That is until Noah gets a call from Marissa. The whole meeting of the kids is important to gain a better understanding of each character, and it does help build a flimsy rapport with the audience. A few things seem far-fetched, but this is a farce of a movie after all.

Noah, who was advised against driving the family vehicle (remember, he has no license), quickly loads up the kids in the minivan and is off to do what he can to get to Marissa, and possibly get laid. This is where I saw a shining gleam of hope, only to be let down. We meet Karl (Sam Rockwell), who has something that Noah was asked to pick up for Marissa. Karl quickly accepts Noah and wants to be “friends” with him. Well, to be friends with Karl is not what Noah has in mind; he just wants to pick up what Marissa wants and be on his way. Unfortunately, bad things happen to Noah and he gets into deeper shit than he ever imagined as he started the trek. One thing leads to another and Noah needs to get a hefty sum of cash in a short amount of time. I generally like Sam Rockwell. He’s made mostly good choices, but this role just doesn’t fit him, and it really comes across in the movie as well.

The adventure officially begins for Noah and the gang; and there are some good quick jokes in the scenes. When the “adventure” really kicks in there are parts that seem forced; parts that made me question the logic; and there were even parts that seemingly took way too long to develop to progress the movie in the direction, which was rather predictable, in the way it was going. The movie concludes on a rather predictable note, and while there are very few redeeming qualities, it just was good for the movie to be over.

So many scenes were predictable and not funny, which left a bad taste in my mouth. Development wasn’t a strong suit either, as the movie had moments of heart and growth; it also had moments that just fell flat and completely missed the target. The thing I hated most about everything was this was another situation where I saw most of the funny parts in the previews!

The kids in the movie, especially Landry Bender, were one of the few bright spots, as they really did a good job and held their own. One thing I came away noticing was that Jonah Hill works well in SMALL doses, but a movie where he’s the STAR and tries to carry the movie just doesn’t work. I say you can avoid this movie, and remember the good times of “Adventures in Babysitting”. Basically, “The Sitter” belongs in the, hmm, what rhymes with sitter?  Yea, if you can predict that, you can easily pass on this inept attempt to rehash a classic comedy.

Read David Limacher’s interview with Darryl, here: A chat with Darryl Roberts

Limacher Low Down: America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments is a follow up to the 2007 Documentary America the Beautiful. The first movie dealt with the issues of Americans doing what they can to look better. America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments provides greater insight into Body Mass Index (BMI), the world of weight loss, diets, and the infatuation people seem to have with believing that being thin means that a person is healthy. The movie provides insight into these topics, and Director Darryl Roberts offers himself as a test subject to test some diets and hypotheses as well.

We start off the movie by gaining a better understanding of the Body Mass Index or BMI. This is the scale that dictates whether people are healthy, overweight, or obese. Did you know that stars such as Will Smith, Mel Gibson, and Christian Bale are considered overweight according the BMI scale? Hell, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is considered OBESE when measured by the BMI scale. The BMI scale says if a person is a certain height, they need to weigh a certain amount or they are overweight or obese! The movie offers a great insight into the falsities of the BMI scale and certain reasons why the scale has shown great importance to certain people.

The movie then moves to Darryl getting a physical by his doctor, and he learns that he has an irregular heart beat and high blood pressure. This is an alarming fact which affects more people than care to realize it. It gets worse for Darryl when the doctor prescribes him two medications which could result in a man’s WORST NIGHTMARE, Erectile Dysfunction! Darryl realizes that it is now up to him to do whatever he can to not need the medication, and cure his problems as well.

Darryl decides to attempt a “Raw” diet. Raw diets are a basic vegan diet in which foods are provided that starts with a 4 week cleanse of all the toxins in the system to start properly on the diet. After speaking with people who have succeeded on the diet, he decides to give it a try. The scenes in which Darryl is on the “Raw” diet offer a funny and honest portrayal of what most people experience. Darryl doesn’t stop there; he goes through a gauntlet of diets all of which provide the same results.

The movie next focuses on High Fructose Corn Syrup. There is great insight into the reasons behind the use of High Fructose Corn Syrup as well. When certain people are questioned about High Fructose Corn Syrup, the subject is quickly changed or the subject is just ignored all together. Facts are provided and should hold the interest of most viewers.

Next we meet Candi, a person so infatuated with looking good, and being a certain way that it has taken over her life. She works out in the morning, goes to work, and then works out after work as well. Candi is so infatuated that she and Darryl head off to the gym in the middle of a blizzard that closed down Chicago. She believes that all the work she is putting in will pay off. But where does it end? She hits her goal, and then sets a new goal. She gets questioned when her figure and weight will finally be good enough, and it seems only she knows just when it will be good enough.

There is one scene that has stuck with me, and will continue to stick with me for years to come. In one of the most heart wrenching scenes in the movie, Darryl’s half sister admits to him a secret that she never told him. She had the courage to tell him for the first time on camera as well. It took real courage for her to do it, and her Doctor gave her advice to help her with the problem she had in the past. Her doctor had told her that her BMI was too high to conceive a child. Her Doctor was transfixed on the BMI scale that he has her believing that if she wants to have a child, she must lose weight and be at a BMI of less than 25%. It really makes a person wonder if this is true, or what facts either party has to go off to show this is true.

Focus now moves to BMI and education. Schools in Ohio are now mandated to place the BMI number of students in 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 9th grade on their report cards so parents get more involved! Superintendents are interviewed about why they petitioned to no longer subject their students to placement of the BMI scale on their report cards. They provide some interesting facts, and provide good reason as to why they chose to do what they did. The State Senator who wrote and helped pass the bill into law was interviewed as well. He seemed so obsessed with living by the BMI scale, he seemed blinded by the facts Darryl provided thus far.

Darryl does a good job of providing facts behind the BMI, the people who lowered the number back in 1998, and also into the CDC. He provided interesting insight to different factors that may have been overlooked as well. The facts and figures are out there, it is just how a person chooses to view them that make all the difference. But Darryl is not done there. He chats with psychiatrists and nutritionists about weight loss, and the facts they provide are eye opening as well.

The movie does a good job of giving a better understanding into the obsession with weight and being thin. Is it healthy? Are diets healthy? Is there one solution to the problem? The questions may go unanswered, but are left for the viewer to decide. The humor flows freely, and it helps progress the movie along well. There are points when the movie doesn’t progress well, and the fact some questions are left unanswered left me with more questions than answers. The movie was well done, and I would suggest it for anyone who questions diets, or the reasoning why America has the infatuation with looking a certain way.

Warning:  If you haven’t read the books, these reviews may contain spoilers!  Also, the vampires sparkle in the sunlight, so . . . yea, there’s that.

Limacher Low Down: “Killer Elite” has the star power and action to make it a solid contender for action blaster of the season.  The previews do a great job of setting up the action and fight scenes without giving away everything for free, which is usually my biggest complaint about these films. The trailers are purposely misleading, and you get a visually impressive film with an intellectual edge.

“Killer Elite” starts off with Danny (Jason Statham) and Hunter (Robert DeNiro) on a mission to eliminate a “target”. Everything starts off as planned; but something unexpected happens, and Danny starts to question his line of work.  The opening sequence does a great job of breaking down Danny’s character.

Flash forward a year, and Danny is, not surprisingly, out of the business and living a different life in Australia. But he gets a package that sinks his heart . . . Hunter has been captured and is being held captive.  It’s quickly evident that for Danny to get Hunter back, he needs to pull off one last mission.  Trouble is, he needs to eliminate several former Special Air Service (SAS) Members (think British Navy Seals) who managed to humiliate a high ranking Middle East figure.  Now shamed and exiled, he wants Danny and his team to eliminate those that brought shame to his family.

Danny, Meier (Aden Young), and Martin (Ben Mendelsohn) are back together and, with the intel they were provided, start to do some recon work on the people they are supposed to eliminate. Word gets back to the retired members of the SAS, one in particular, Spike (Clive Owen), is not big on defense, he prefers to be the hunter, not the hunted.

Now shit really starts moving quickly as the transitions strafe from scene to scene, which gives the audience something to enjoy.

When Danny and Spike have their confrontation, well, it is something you have to experience for yourself; the moves were quick, crisp, and clean. I wanted to see the scene in slow motion just to see the scene at a frame rate that my eyes could keep up with. Unfortunately it didn’t last as long as I hoped, but the movie had to continue to develop story.

From there, parts seemed to be dragging – there was opportunity to give more action, but it started to drag. New twists and turns are revealed which were rather unexpected, and helped make the movie more enjoyable, though still slow-paced.

As revealed in some of the previews, Statham does some AWESOME Chair-Fu shit.  But, ultimately (perhaps, because it was based on real life) the movie ends with fewer bangs than I had anticipated.  I wish there would have been more interaction between the characters of Danny, Hunter, and Spike.

“Killer Elite” was a great popcorn action flick, it had enough action and violence to satisfy most people. There were slower moments that didn’t add much to the movie. And, if you go expecting to see a LOT of DeNiro, you may be disappointed.  Ultimately, the film delivers on many fronts.  If you want an enjoyable time at the movies, with plenty of action, violence, and some of the best fight scenes in recent memory, “Killer Elite” is a DEFINITE must see!

Limacher Low Down: I will be honest; I was expecting quite a bit of thrills and chills from this movie, and I was unfortunately let down. “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” does offer a few scares and good plot development, but I wanted MORE than good, I wanted GREAT!  The previews makes it look like this is going to be scary from beginning to end, yet I didn’t get that feeling. I figured with Guillermo del Toro as the producer and co-writer there would be more intensity. This movie definitely has a niche audience, but I am NOT a part of that niche.

It starts out as your classic “haunted mansion” tale. The owner is being haunted by something and is willing to do whatever he can to appease those who are “haunting” his house. This is a really good set up of what to expect, and both the visual and audio of the scene really helps to raise the tension for the audience.  You got a good sense of an enjoyable ride, and I was looking forward to strapping in for the long trip! Unfortunately, the rest of the movie was lack luster as compared to the opening scene.

Now present day, we see a little girl, Sally (Bailee Madison), on a plane going to an unknown destination. Meanwhile her father, Alex (Guy Pearce), is going over some business while his girlfriend, Kim (Katie Holmes) waits as well. Sally arrives and we find out Alex is her father, and Kim is meeting Sally for the first time. Alex, Kim, and Sally arrive at the house that we saw at the beginning of the film, and absed on the opening scene, we have high hopes of horror. Sally quickly shows disgust for her father, Kim, and the house in which they will be living. Alex is restoring the house in an attempt to get his name out there, and Kim is his interior designer.

Sally, disturbed by everything, starts to hear voices that know her name and tell her they are her friends. This raises many questions, and some of which we really don’t get answered, ever. The next morning, Sally is walking around the grounds when she discovers an unknown basement to the house.  As she is attempting to get a closer look; the groundskeeper, Harris (Jack Thompson) snatches her away and lets her know of the perils that may befall her around the mansion. Alex and Kim run over to talk to both Harris and Sally, yet get side-tracked when they discover the unknown basement. Finding the entrance, they come across something hundreds of years old.  Harris quickly ushers everyone out and seemingly knows more than he is letting on. This scene is important for development, but didn’t really offer much to the audience. We saw the basement in the opening scene, and we know that something is down there.

After the discovery of the basement, the movie quickly develops. Sally learns that the voices are malicious, and she tries to warn her father. But, Alex, too naĂŻve to listen to his own daughter and the frightened tone in her voice, puts his head down and ignores her pleas. Kim, wrestling with what to do and who to listen to adds a different dynamic to the movie, which was rather unexpected. The scares start happening, but not in the way I was hoping. We finally see what is terrorizing Sally.  It wasn’t overly terrifying.  When all is said and done I was left just sitting in my seat going, REALLY? The movie has subtle nuances that make it better than an average “horror” movie, but it didn’t deliver the way I was hoping.

“Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” is formed from an early 70’s made for TV movie, and it still has that feel to it at the theater. The acting by Bailee Madison is something that really keeps you immersed throughout . . . as she more than holds her own. There are a few scares, and some laughs, but I doubt the laughter was del Toro’s intent in these scenes.  This one can be enjoyed by some, but others may leave a little disappointed by everything, and like myself, may get their hopes up a little too high. Overall, this film is decent for horror fans, but it might be one best saved for Blu Ray.

I had heard of Live Action Role Play or LARPing before, and I even had a little experience playing table games; but when I heard the whole film was essentially constructed around LARP, I was somewhat intrigued. . . but also a tad skeptical. I figured I should give anything a try once, especially an independent film, and I had the opportunity to screen this movie at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con this year; I was NOT disappointed!

“Unicorn City” starts off with a group of people who get together to play a table game, think Dungeons and Dragons, and the film-makers do a great job showing how tedious these games can be. The main character is Voss (Devin McGinn), and he has trouble following the rules laid forth by Shadow Hawk (Jon “Kick Him in the Nards” Gries). Shadow Hawk likes to constantly control the outcome of the table games, and he keeps people in check with outlandish rules he puts in place. Voss, in an attempt to help his brother Clancy (Matt Mattson), loses his cool and brings some rather unwanted tension to the table group. This is the first of many humorous parts in the film, and come on, who hasn’t felt like unloading on someone in public? Though Voss has his faults, he still has an admirer in a certain lady, Marsha (Jaclyn Hales). Voss seems to have interest in Marsha, but soon she’s taking things with a fellow, on-line, gamer to a new level.

Voss needs to figure out a new plan in life, an upcoming job interview seems to be the best way; but when a person is down it seems that is when decides to deliver more troubles. At the next gathering of the group, Voss takes it upon himself to challenge the leadership of Shadow Hawk. Comedy ensues as Voss attempts to take over the group from the clutches of his nemesis. Voss’ future with the group hinges on a roll of the dice; I will just say the reaction of Shadow Hawk was pure comedy. Voss being upset about losing his dream job and his swift exile from the table group is bad enough, right? But, this is when we meet Voss’ older brother Jeff (Kevin Weisman). Jeff is training in MMA and works at a taco stand. Jeff seemingly enjoys picking on Voss and Clancy, and it is rather enjoyable for the audience as well.

Voss has his hopes up when Marsha invites him over for some breakfast. The breakfast scene has some VERY enjoyable sight gags, and also builds the story to the next level. Voss has a plan to land his dream job; Marsha calls Pat (Steve Berg) and his girlfriend Angie (Missy Hill) to meet at a remote location. Voss calls on his pal Rhubarb (Clint Vanderlinden) to join them all. The conversation between Voss and Rhubarb is a classic play on words, and the laughs become so loud that you might miss out on some more humor. This is where the humor really takes over, and let the LARPing BEGIN!!!

Voss declares an edict, that henceforth their table characters will now become flesh and bone, they will each portray their characters in real life.  The momentum picks up, as do the laughs to a complete boiling point when the music starts to swell and we see in the distance a man dressed as a centaur, it is Rhubarb! The theater absolutely EXPLODED with applause and laughter. This is something you don’t get to really see in a movie anymore; people so excited that emotion takes over and applause sets in, and I LOVED it too!  Rhubarb isn’t your standard centaur though, you’ll have to see what I mean in theaters.

Our characters are now set, and the plot is being developed, but what could stop this merry band of LARPers from enjoying their time together? Well, Shadow Hawk found out about what Voss has created and is determined to foil his plans of segregating the group and usurping his hold on them. This is where the story moves into overdrive and time flies because we were all having so much fun. We have the set up and the premise, but what happens in the end? You’ll need to go to Unicorn City and request the movie come to your area for release to find out sooner than later!

Now some of our readers may be wondering why I gave “Unicorn City” 5 stars, or what makes this film worthy of such high marks? I have found that Independent Film offers something missing from “Blockbusters” that we are generally drawn to see, and “Unicorn City” is a movie that delivers on all levels. It has a genuine spirit and heart that translates well to the audience, regardless of their background or personal experiences – it unified the audience in a way I haven’t seen in a long time. “Unicorn City” has great character development, humor through both sight gags and comedic timing and delivery, acting that delivers on all fronts, and also leaves the audience wanting MORE . . . MUCH MORE!  This film brought me back to my childhood when going to the movies was a treat and an escape; it’s a movie that leaves an impression on everyone who views it. I wish more films could bring audiences closer together and take people back to the days where going to the movies was fun and offered something for all audiences; fortunately, “Unicorn City” does just that.  So, at least there will be one out there soon – if you are lucky enough to demand it in your area.

Again, I had my reservations about this movie when I first heard about it, but those were quickly dashed after the first few minutes. “Unicorn City” has something for everyone, and even if you don’t know what LARP or table games are, you will still enjoy the story and the characters.  I LOVED the whole package, especially the heart the movie offered the audience. If you want an escape from the doldrums of everyday life, “Unicorn City” is your destination!

Where the ‘Robert’ meets the road!

Normally I like movies that are unusual and don’t require much thought to watch, but Rubber made me question my tastes.  I heard the concept was basically about a killer tire on the loose and I got REALLY excited about seeing this movie; yet shortly after the film got rolling (ha ha) . . . I regretted my enthusiasms.  The TIRE was the only element that made the movie remotely enjoyable, and I wish I was joking!

Rubber starts off in a small southwestern town where Lieutenant Chad (Stephen Spinella) comes out of a car trunk to “introduce“ the movie to the audience, presumably the viewing audience, but in actuality, there is an on-screen group of people standing in the middle of the desert to “watch” this movie.

This is our first glimpse of the tire (Robert), the star of the movie. Robert is learning how to roll, much like an infant walking, and coming across certain items in the desert in which he chooses to just roll over to display dominance. Meanwhile, the audience in the desert is watching these actions and coming to their own conclusions of what is going to happen next.

We meet our next “important” character, Sheila (Roxane Mesquida). Sheila is driving along when she sees the tire rolling, and gets passed by an angry motorist who just runs right into poor Robert. Sheila continues driving along when she sees the angry motorist and chooses to flip him the bird; when the tire meets up with our angry motorist, we get the first glimpse of his “killing powers”. Needless to say, this was one of the more humorous parts of the movie.

Night falls and Sheila has checked herself into a hotel room. The tire rolls up to the same hotel and peeks inside Sheila’s room as she showers and when she slams the door shut, he magically appears in the adjoining room and LITERALLY stays on the bed and watches television at higher amounts of volume.

Day comes, and the audience is still in the desert. While most slept, only one man, the Man in the Wheelchair (Wings Hauser) continues to watch everything that is happening. While the audience is complaining of hunger, the Accountant (Jack Plotnick) arrives to feed the audience.

Sheila awakes and looks around the small town; the tire gets kicked out of his room by the cleaning lady while he was taking a shower. (I can NOT make up this shit!) After getting thrown out of the room, Robert, the tire, takes his revenge on yet another that has gotten in his way. But, Robert was not alone at the time, and wtiness Zach (Remy Thorne) saw everything.

Lieutenant Chad arrives on the scene to explain that this is all nonsense that is occurring around them. The tire decides to hide out in the pool when hotel owner, M. Hughes (David Bowe) orders Zach to retrieve the tire from the pool, and then kicks the tire away. I think you can see where this is going.

Days go by, and the people finally realize that the one thing that is killing all the people is the tire. They stage a stakeout, and Lieutenant Chad believes he has taken care of the problem, or has he?

Most should pass on this film, but if you must watch Rubber, fast forward to the scenes with Robert, the tire! Robert was the ONLY enjoyable thing about this movie. The way the scenes with him were portrayed, and the sheer humor that came across the screen made it watchable at pretty much only those points.

The plot was non-existent, but I must admit the fact there was the attempt at a plot made me wish that Robert WAS real and that he would do to me what he did to those who got in his way.  Just make it quick, Robert, I can’t stand another one of your films!

Have you ever wondered the reaction Conan O’Brien had after NBC yanked him from the Tonight Show or what he really wanted to do about it? “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” delivers the goods!  The exact moment the decision is made to get around the whole “legally prohibited from being funny on TV” is revealed in this excellent documentary. 

Director Rodman Flender (yes, that is his real name) starts the tell-all with Conan explaining on the day of his last show that he was already planning a tour to keep himself fresh.  Conan just can’t stop entertaining people – EVER! Capturing the initial reaction to NBC’s decision to replace Conan with Jay Leno and the upheaval that followed, Flender gives an earnest backstage view of the tedious machinations that go into producing a seamless delivery for Conan’s millions of fans.  There are countless meetings with his writers to get everything set up: dates have to be realized; jokes have to be written; songs have to be prepared; and an order for everything has to be determined.

In an attempt to see if people will take to the dream, Conan decides to announce his tour dates and locations while the tour is still only a reality in his incredible imagination. Less than 30 minutes into the first day of ticket sales, venues in the East and Midwest already start selling out. (I admit I was at the first of two Chicago performances.)

Conan quickly learns how vast his nation spreads as their loyalty and dedication to him has, seemingly, no end.  They are willing to pay any price to let him know how much they appreciate the consummate entertainer.  They also make sure to let him know how much he would be missed on the Tonight Show.

We learn as the production is coming together, jokes are being written, and the first show is rapidly approaching; Conan has to tell his children that he is going on the road for a while, but he will do all he can to chat with them every day. Flender manages to capture a rare glimpse into the softer side of Conan, and the audience really feels how much this funny man loves his family.  And, while he feels the need to tour, it doesn’t mean he won’t miss his wife and kids.  It was something that I always assumed was the case, but seeing it first-hand had an amazing impact on me, and it only served to strengthen my admiration for him and seal my place as one of his followers.

While it is no secret that a lot of work goes into these tours, the film does a great job of showcasing that as we follow Conan and see how much he personally puts into each show every night. A person never goes without an autograph when asked, and he even has V.I.P. meet and greets at EVERY one of his shows. Conan gives back to his fans, and you can tell that it isn’t because there is a film crew present, it’s because he appreciates the support. Yet, as the tour continues on, Conan grows more and more frustrated and tired. He still does what he can to appease his flock, but it takes a toll on his body and it really comes across in this documentary.

The tour winds down, and Conan still does all he can to make his fans happy. His performance at the Bonaroo Music Festival in Tennessee becomes more than just putting on a show, as he is booked to start introducing performers, which leads to one of the more humorous goings on in the movie. The tour finally wraps up, and there is a lot of talk about how much fun it was regardless of the physical tolls paid.

Conan O’Brien truly can’t stop! This film brilliantly shows how much he loves to entertain and how it’s become the only thing he knows how to do anymore. The time he spends on the road and everything that is documented in the movie really shows that Conan cares about everyone around him.  His audience is the real reason he continues to do what he has done for the past 26 years now, and I hope he has at least that many years ahead of him.

I was fortunate enough to see this at the Peoria Theater, and I openly support local independent theaters. Places like the Peoria Theater, easily found at www.peoriatheater.com, show independent and foreign films that most times get overlooked. If you want to see young directors and movies that you will hear about later; get out and support your local independent theater while you can. . . let’s keep the screens dreaming.

You can get to the official site and see if any theaters are lucky enough to be showing this right now in your area, just click on Conan’s mug above.  I highly recommend you see this film; even Conan detractors will find it hard to dislike him after this backstage pass into the Conan O’Brien machine.

Click on each character’s face for a different review, then post your comments below and let me know which writer belongs to which character!