But they all eventually heap praise on him, and it becomes clear that comedy’s original outsider is now a legend that’s beyond reproach. A stacked lineup of aging A-listers pay tribute to Kaufman, with many admitting that they didn’t quite “get” his unclassifiable brand of humor right away. Paradoxically, Braverman’s film presents that ethos in a format that looks exactly like every other recent documentary about a beloved comic or rock star. On multiple occasions, we hear Kaufman say that his primary goal as a performer was to make audiences uncomfortable by showing them something new.
But there’s something ironic about making such a glossy film about an artist who spent his life rejecting showbiz conventions. “Thank You Very Much” is still a serviceable overview of Kaufman’s career that should satisfy both novices looking for an introduction and diehard fans hoping to revisit his greatest hits.
The lack of additional anecdotes might be proof of the theory’s validity, even if the film never quite satisfies the urge to learn about the man behind the characters. The argument is so compelling that it’s tempting to reduce Kaufman’s life to a linear narrative about a man who resisted intimacy by staying in character. Kaufman’s closest friends suggest that his parents’ ill-advised decision to shield him from learning about death by crafting a narrative about his late grandfather leaving for a never-ending vacation created a life-long fear of abandonment. But the film’s most noteworthy moments come on the rare occasions when it probes his psyche.
#Andy kaufman documentary professional#
The film largely focuses on Kaufman’s professional achievements - something many interview subjects tacitly admit was unavoidable, as Kaufman’s insistence on turning everything into a bit made it difficult to separate the man from his comedy. From his subversive stand-up sets at the Hollywood Improv to his successful run on “Taxi” and provocative turn as a faux-misogynistic wrestling heel through the untimely death that fans refused to believe was real, Braverman paints a comprehensive portrait of a man who viewed his entire life as a canvas for cringe comedy.ĭenis Villeneuve Calls IMAX Releases ‘the Future of Cinema’ Kaufman set out to make a mockery of the rules of comedy, but ended up building a new sandbox that his medium’s most exciting performers return to again and again.Īlex Braverman’s new documentary “ Thank You Very Much” takes viewers on a linear journey through the highs and lows of Kaufman’s career.
#Andy kaufman documentary series#
As Kaufman creates an awkward silence with a series of lame jokes that quickly give way to a spot-on Elvis impression, you can see everything from the intentional rigidity of Neil Hamburger to the madcap cultural pastiche of “The Eric Andre Show” forming before your eyes. For a fan of alternative comedy, seeing a young Andy Kaufman humiliate himself on stage is like showing footage of the Big Bang to a theoretical physicist.
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