A documentary guaranteed to make you laugh about one of the greatest comedians of our time.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Dec 27, 2023

The 90-minute special doubles as both an end-of-career retrospective and an engaging introduction...

| Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 15, 2023

A big chunk of the film is devoted to a conversation between Reiner and his subject... it’s like hanging out with a couple of good friends.

| Original Score: B+ | Dec 7, 2023

I’m not sure this style of documentary would work for everyone, but it sure as heck works for Albert Brooks. I could’ve watched this for 5 hours.

| Dec 6, 2023

If you love Albert Brooks, you're going to love Albert Brooks: Defending My Life... [But] it's not as comprehensive as I'd want.

| Nov 29, 2023

Both of these guys are really funny together and the whole thing was just a friggin' delight.

| Nov 29, 2023

Brooks’ film — no surprise here — is often laugh-out-loud funny, even when covering painful material...

| Nov 28, 2023

Reiner does a decent job of establishing why Brooks became what he did, a titan held in equal awe by Carson and Kubrick.

| Original Score: B | Nov 21, 2023

Albert Brooks: Defending My Life never ceases to fascinate, amuse and at times even move. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 18, 2023

[Director Rob Reiner's] closeness to Brooks turns what could’ve been a by-the-numbers documentary into a touching and revealing tribute.

| Nov 18, 2023

The documentary, while a joy to watch, really does put across that Albert Brooks has had an amazing career, doing a lot of different things over a considerable period of time.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 17, 2023

Younger audiences may not understand the impact that Albert Brooks has had, but this is an appreciative and hilarious trip down memory lane.

| Original Score: B+ | Nov 17, 2023

Some of his bits you have to see to believe how funny they are. How funny they’ve always been. Brooks has been kidding around a long time.

| Nov 16, 2023

If you know Brooks and his comedy, you’ll be eager to see this movie, and if you’re not familiar with him, this is a great way to find out who he is.

| Nov 16, 2023

Reiner doesn’t feel the need to piece together a series of declarations, but rather reiterate Brooks’ influence with a balance of the personal, intellectual and analytical.

| Nov 15, 2023

Defending My Life is like being invited to the warm reunion of two old friends, softened by the years and lost loved ones, touched and amused anew by the stories they’ve heard countless times before.

| Nov 14, 2023

Rob Reiner's Albert Brooks: Defending My Life adds to Brooks' legacy and serves as a solid introduction for new fans, too.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Nov 12, 2023

This movie could have been five times as long, and it wouldn’t be enough. Brooks is an inspiration, a supportive force to up-and-coming talents, and a humble person to a fault, and Defending My Life captures all of that beautifully.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Nov 11, 2023

Both a comprehensive primer and a nostalgic celebration, it successfully makes the case that few 20th-century funnymen were as daring, pioneering, or outright amusing.

| Nov 11, 2023

If you weren’t a fan before, this movie just might change your mind.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 11, 2023