Lunch

Lunch is a great documentary. It has famous Hollywood writers in one place sharing stories, from their personal life (like Arthur Marx talking about his relationship with his father Groucho Marx) to what was going through their head while writing those classic sitcoms (like MASH). These writers have lots of memories. I loved hearing them. It's nice to hear the story of how they formed this special lunch group. They each feel honored to be part of this lunch. I feel like it's a privilege for the rest of us to be part of it through this film. I love watching TV sitcoms and watching movies at home. If you are like me and are a fan of good TV and movies, you will enjoy watching this film.

I live for comedy. A good laugh gets me through the day and I love it how a funny guest can liven up any party. The documentary "Lunch" is like having a dinner party with some of the most lively, entertaining guests imaginable. "Lunch" follows a group of legendary comedy writers who meet for lunch every other week in Los Angeles. At easch lunch they discuss the old days, current events and what its like being old. Each subject is handles with wit and grace and each member is interviewed and their current situations are shared. The documentary breezes by and I was left wanting more. This documentary is a must for any fan of classic TV. You won;t regret it.

For the last 40 years, a group of elderly comedy writers and entertainers have gathered to have lunch every other Wednesday. There are some legends and old-timers from various aspects of entertainment. They tell jokes, reminisce about old times, and remember fallen comrades. Monty Hall talks about his history starting from Winnipeg. Arthur Marx talks about his father Groucho. Arthur Hiller talks about his directing most memorably about Paddy Chayefsky. Sid Caesar is a bit frail but he's still very present and does do his foreign language bit. There are quite a few jokes, discussion about Jewish humor and some Irish humor. This is simply a great fly-on-the-wall documentary. Their speech may be a little bit halting now but they are still very sharp.

It's almost impressive that a movie with such a simple premise (old Hollywood icons gather for a bi-weekly lunch) can end up this shockingly uneven. It's barely a movie; in fact it's more akin to listening to your great-grandpa tell a long-winded, aimless, repetitive story. I'm honestly not even sure how to approach it as a piece of media; it jumps between tones, themes, ideas and focuses with no concern for its audience.

These old guys are a lot like my grandpa, they meet up together at the same place for lunch once a week, and they talk. They converse about current topics, family, and how they are being left behind by new trends in culture. The big difference however is that they are not farmers, they are basically the inventors of comedy. I wish there was a diner near by full of old funny guys like these, I would go there all of the time. I am a huge fan of comedy, and it was really quite fascinating learning a lot of behind the scenes information about some of my favorite films and television shows. Hearing these guys talk about there glory days is quite compelling, because though they may be past tier primes, they still continue to do what they love and are still honing and perfecting their craft.