Conan O'Brien Can't Stop

When Conan did this tour I never even thought about going to see it. Now I really wish I had. This was Conan before all the unfunny Trump jokes and terrible guests. I miss the old Conan.

A documentary on Conan O'Brien's comedy tour of the U.S. and Canada after leaving his post at "The Tonight Show" and severing his relationship with NBC.

Early on, we see some good humor with the mock fight at the protests (although this is more a reflection on Conan's fans than the man himself). But then, it goes wild...

I have mixed feelings on this. I love Conan, and the clips from the tour (on stage) are pretty good. But the behind the scenes moments are strange -- he sometimes comes off as angry (at the wrong people) and childish. He was wrongfully removed from NBC, but he is far more bitter than probably necessary... though this improves as the tour continues.

(Roger Ebert actually sums up the negativity nicely: "Everyone around him pays a price. He relentlessly nibbles away at his support system, picks on his personal assistant, needles his sidekick Andy Richter and dominates his "writers" so compulsively that I can hardly recall one of them being allowed to say anything at meetings. He seems to consider them more of an audience.")

Some people have commented on the anti-Semitic comment made by a fan. I do not really wish to get into it, but I will say Conan deserves a little credit for putting the kid in his place without being too harsh... it was a bad word to say, but was clearly not meant as hatred.

This documentary explores the life of Conan O'Brien behind the scenes. His creative mind and how his comedy comes to life. It was refreshing to see a different side of him and seeing him get sometimes bitter and deal with the disappointment of not being able to perform. The tour was cathartic and you can see throughout the movie how we copes with his loss and how he finds clarity and reassurance.It is important to notice that the director focuses solely in Conan's life and most of the other members of the crew are just there to complete the film. You can see a more human sometimes bitter and angry Conan, impatient at some times but always trying to get something funny and meaningful out of the situation.The people he surrounded with provide him with support and play a major role in this cathartic and life changing experience.

The battle for "The Tonight Show" was the sort of TV drama you couldn't possibly have scripted nor predicted. In June of 2009, late night talk show host Conan O'Brien took over the reins of "The Tonight Show" from its long-time host and Johnny Carson successor, Jay Leno. By the time 2010 rolled around, he was out of a job, replaced by Leno, bought off by NBC, and legally prohibited from television for nine months. Left with few options to bide his time, Conan hit the road with his staff to bring a new variety show to stages across North America. "The Legally Prohibited From Television Tour" made 44 stops and was mostly a success. This documentary, "Conan O'Brien Can't Stop" focuses on the entertainer's NBC drama and the ensuing experimental odyssey that came as a result of his lack of employment.

How much you will enjoy this documentary hinges solely on how likable you find Conan O'Brien. If you never stayed up past 12:30 to see what "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" was all about or are one of the milquetoast types who preferred Leno to the creepy ginger on "The Tonight Show," then "Conan O'Brien Can't Stop" will either go over your head or bore you to tears. Director Rodman Flender (who has such titles as "Idle Hands" and "Leprechaun 2" to this name) focuses as much on the subject's road show as he does the subject himself. All of the warts and imperfections of Coco's road trip are ruthlessly committed to film, for better or worse. For the first time, we see O'Brien as a perfectionist who literally can't stop. He can't stop talking, he can't stop joking and he absolutely can't stop even if it makes him look like a jerk in the process. There's a moment deep into the documentary where O'Brien himself acknowledges that he uses his jokes to subtly insult those around him and such moments of honesty (coupled with the fact that O'Brien himself approved the release of the film) find the host/writer/comedian coming out on top as a complex but utterly fascinating character. Even as he's ruthlessly ripping into longtime friend Jack McBrayer (of "30 Rock" fame) for absolutely no reason, you just can't help but root for him in the end.

While the film may not always paint its subject in the most flattering light, "Conan O'Brien Can't Stop" is still a fascinating and engrossing experience. Although it's obvious that Flender is only scratching at the surface of Conan O'Brien's madness, he reveals something that virtually nobody outside of the man's circle has seen: Conan O'Brien is a flawed, funny and often complicated human being who will stop at nothing to get laughs. Like a car accident, don't be surprised if you can't stop watching.

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011)

*** (out of 4)

Good documentary taking a look at the tour Conan O'Brien went on after being fired from The Tonight Show and part of his agreement with the company was that he didn't appear on television for six months. So, unable to be on the air, O'Brien set out for a forty-four show tour and we see some of the act but most of the documentary shows the star behind-the-scenes. Fans of O'Brien should be entertained by this documentary and especially if you weren't able to catch any of the actual shows. There are sequences of the concerts that are shown here including his eight stages after losing a talk show as well as some musical numbers that are shown in their complete form. I think the most interesting thing about the documentary is getting to see O'Brien off the stage and just going from city to city trying to find the energy to bring it each night and then having other commitments on his days off. It was really interesting seeing how O'Brien had to bring it each night, try to keep that energy going and the entire time you can tell that he's just getting worn down by everything. There aren't any graphic outbursts where he just cracks and goes crazy but it's still interesting to see the toll that the road has on him. It was also fun seeing how the star would adjust to the various demands that were put on him and just seeing how part of his life was working during this period of his life. Those expecting some ambush on NBC are going to be disappointed as that's not here. I think the behind-the-scenes look at the tour were the most fascinating parts and those interested in that type of thing should enjoy the film.