Lunch

For the past four decades, a group of writers and directors, of film and television, have met for an informal lunch every other Wednesday. Over the years, the attendees have changed as have the meeting locales, with this day's get together at Factor's Famous Deli.

Many of the men you can see are physically aging, and several of the attendees have passed on since the filming of the documentary, thus the youngest of the group John Rappoport half-jokingly states he's been named the "designated cane" of the group. However, the minds of these legends are laser sharp, as they tell jokes, spin witty stories, and gently kibbitz with one another.

This is not a "can you top this" environment, as it's more laid back and friendly than anything else. There are also side interviews, away from the lunch table, where these brilliant men can relate some fascinating tidbits form their lives and careers.

The director of the film, Donna Kanter, has given us a light-hearted, interesting, and humorous movie that I enjoyed, as I was sitting and eating lunch with these legends.

I really, really loved listening to all the classic Hollywood stories in "Lunch." It was like having a seat at the most exclusive table in town! Legend after legend tells stories about how the made in showbiz, and they also have some thoughts on modern comedy as well! I especially loved listing to Carl Reiner's stories. I have always been a fan of "The Jerk" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" so it was really cool to listen to him share some insight. There were also some sad parts as well. Tales of lose and tales of trouble getting work are told, and even though it's sad seeing these legends struggle their work ethic is inspiring and mad me think that maybe I shouldn't complain so much!

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.

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'm a TV junkie, so I grew up on all these fabulous shows. All of my favorite TV writers are in this film, from Arthur Marx (Alice, Maude), to Hal Kantor (All in the Family). It was great listening to Ben Starr talk about the idea behind Mister Ed, how it was important to create a horse character that both adults and children could relate to. I love all the projects that Carl Reiner has been a part of (especially The Jerk) but I had no idea that he was also a writer of children's books. They've got to be awesome. These truly talented gentlemen understand, as long as your brain is kept active, there's plenty of living to be done. If you love TV as much as I do, this is a great film to watch.