Judd Apatow does this four hour biography of his friend and mentor Garry Shandling. One can really sense the love on the screen. In some ways, it needs the cruelty of a non-fan editor. That's not to say that it indulged in too much filler. Even squeezing it under four hours would be helpful. For example, Garry's written notes are a big part of the show. They are often hard to read and the show stops to let the audience read it. It would speed things up simply by typing out the notes into quotes and place them on screen as Garry does his stand-ups or his other recordings. It's also a little odd to have somebody else reading out his notes. Nevertheless, this is a fully realized telling of a comedic genius. I didn't know about his brother, his lawsuit, or his house. I heard something about his health and assumed that to be the reason for his absence in the later years. Quite frankly, I saw his appearance on Conan and thought he must be suffering from some difficulties. This is a fine biography from friends and the man obviously had many friends in life.
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SnoopyStyle25 August 2019
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steveo12228 March 2018Career driven good guy keeps his soul clean. Worthy subject; worthy tribute. And, no, not too long.
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Comedian Garry Shandling died in March of 2016, his close friend and fellow comedian Judd Apatow now brings us a look into Shandling's life and the impact he has had on the comedic landscape.
I don't usually review documentaries because I don't know enough about the format to really say whether it was made well or not.
This is more of a recommendation for a film that really impacted me. Apatow does a great job of capturing what made Shandling so special and the interviews with his friends and family range from hilarious to heartbreaking.
If you are at all a fan of Garry Shandling's work or the history of comedy at this is definitely worth checking out. It's in two parts, both are about 2 hours long so it is a commitment but it's worth it. -
oOoBarracuda27 March 2018The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling is an invitation into the mind and heart of one of the most innovative and brilliant comedians to ever live.
Whether you know Garry Shandling from his standup comedy, his brilliant masterpiece in deconstruction, It's Garry Shandling's Show, his groundbreaking examination of ego and interpersonal relationships, The Larry Sanders Show, or even if you don't know of Garry Shandling at all, the documentary detailing the life and rise of the comic is essential viewing for the human experience. As the title would suggest, The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling shares entries from Shandling's personal journals, in his own handwriting, accentuated by his constant search for truth often pursued through meditation and reflection. This documentary provides a fascinating glimpse into the complicated private thoughts of a most human and restless individual. Shandling seemed to never be truly satisfied, even at the peak of his career, because there were still so many questions left unanswered. For those who exist on a higher plane, like Garry did, peaks are often only seen as the precursor to life's valleys and a reminder that happiness doesn't last forever. The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling, directed and produced by Judd Apatow who calls Garry "(for 25 years) the most important mentor that I had", lovingly highlights Garry's comedy brilliance, his deep introspective mind, and the demons that plagued him through all of it. Unlike many documentaries about a subject who has passed away, Apatow never paints Shandling as a perfect individual, but rather, details Shandling's highs and lows while seeming to bridge together fragments of each to make a whole yet prematurely-ended picture of a life. The loving detail and care Apatow has clearly put into this exceptional tribute to his friend and mentor is a gift to each person in the audience. He illustrates how true Garry was to his path and allows his quest to be an inspiration to the millions of people who were never fortunate enough to know him. In the documentary's trailer, Apatow voices that, despite being close to him, Shandling was also a mystery to him. Throughout the documentary, Apatow seems to be searching, just as Garry was searching, to gain a deeper insight into the enigma that Garry Shandling was. The result is an incredibly moving tribute and an immensely illuminating experience.
Presenting unbelievable access to Garry Shandling's early life complete with pictures and videos from his childhood and adolescence the audience learns how deeply impacted Garry was by the death of his 13-year-old brother Barry from cystic fibrosis. Never having a "goodbye" moment or even being allowed to attend his brother's funeral seemed to have left Garry scarred with a pain never attended to, and a fractured sense of trust that seemed to suggest to him that everyone he loved would be gone eventually. Following his brother's death, Garry's mother overcompensated her love and affection toward her living son, smothering Garry and seeming to instill in him an insurmountable internalized pressure and a deeply-rooted sense of guilt. By evaluating such aspects of himself, both through his journals and his comedy, Garry was searching for answers to the human condition and helping others understand that life is much the same as his vision of The Larry Sanders Show "people trying to get love, and shit gets in the way."
Watching The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling allows one to realize, through Garry's humor and being, that we're not as alone in the world as we thought. At our cores, we all want to be our true selves, and often don't know, or never find out, how to live truth. The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling teaches us Garry's method, one that can be adopted by anyone, that staying true to yourself, trusting your instincts, and being your true self, are the closest we can ever come to truth and happiness. Hearing Garry's voice and seeing his handwritten words onscreen was a brilliantly powerful decision to bring the audience into Garry's experience. We are not simply invited to view a Garry Shandling photo album, but rather to be immersed in his life and his journey. Just as he was in life, never letting things linger on the surface level and always striving for a deeper truth, Judd Apatow continues Garry's search for truth after his death with the brilliantly reflective The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling. -
joshlangg28 March 2018My guess is that Garry Shandling would be very appreciative of how well of a job that Judd Apatow did on this wonderful documentary that chronicalized his life and spirituality. I had not had much exposure to Garry's comedy before watching this. After watching it, I have come away with the fact that he very well may have been the best performer of his time due to the way he held his material to such high standards and also because of the countless amount of people who he mentored.
There is more to learn in this documentary than just how effortlessly funny Garry really was (although he worked tirelessly on his material). It shows the journey to enlightenment. How to accept ones place in the universe. How to resist being egotistical in an effort to not take life more seriously than it needs to be taken.
Thank you Judd. Thank you Garry. -
jameslewisactor27 March 2018The late comedian Garry Shandling was, without a doubt, funny. Sometimes falling-down funny, sometimes cringeworthy-funny. But always engaging. This documentary produced by his friend and writer Judd Apatow is outstanding. It's not fawning. But it gives a touching, honest inside view of the creative process. It's in 2 parts and it's long but not at all boring. I can always tell when a show is dragging because my butt starts to hurt. This didn't hurt my butt one bit.
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jnucif272029 March 2018Apatow paints a finely woven, richly detailed journey of Garry Shandling's state of being. As a documentarian Apatow makes a most impressive debut, it is the best I've seen in a very long time. HBO has chosen the right subject and the right person to tell this deeply intimate fully formed biography of a brilliant comedian.
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rssrsvp30 March 2018Judd Apatow remembered and honored his friend and mentor with this touching documentary where you could really feel and see the love from all he came in contact with during his career. I remember growing up and seeing Garry when he appeared on the Tonight Show and couldn't believe when he walked away from it. One of my all-time favorite HBO series was the Larry Sanders Show which for lack of a better description was sheer genius!
Simply put, Garry Shandling was an amazing performer who left us too soon and considered by many one of the best comedians ever to grace the stage and entertain us. Judd, you brought tears to my eyes when I watched this HBO special. Thank you for remembering and honoring Garry Shandling in such a manner! -
miketobin-5682828 March 2018Being a bit too young to know Garry in his prime, I learned first of Shandling in Apatow's great jam packed interview book 'Sick in the Head.' The interview alone was enough to get me to check out the Larry Sanders show, watch old late night interviews on YouTube and invest time in Shandlings career..
This documentary expanded on the life of Garry Ten-fold in a truly beautiful and touching way. Judd has done a respectable and thorough job in showing us the life and mind of a comedic genius. I'll rewatch this one again for both entertainment and inspiration. Thank you Judd. -
Bridget-1631 March 2018Great documentary of an amazing man - never knew how troubled he was - made me cry
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This is certainly a lovingly made and engagingly thorough exploration of a fascinating man's life in comedy and spirituality. But honestly, I wish the entire thing was just an unedited filming of the memorial service. Those speeches are wonderful.
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patrick-6755614 August 2019He was the comedians comedian. What a revealing knife edge study of the complex but open psychological memento mori documentaire by Apatow.
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flydtw13 September 2018What a wonderful tribute to Garry. I followed Garry's life as a fan grabbing bits and pieces of what he gave us as we moved through the years. I was very sad when he died, but this documentary really connected all those little dots into a full fabric and created a broader connection that I am re-saddened has now gone dark. Excellent work. RIP
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Judd's documentary is comprehensive of Garry's life, from childhood beginnings to his end days. I doubt many people realized the childhood pain Garry suffered and carried with him his whole life when his brother died. Childhood trauma, which often occurs from a fractured or broken relationship like a parent or sibling dying, sudden departure of a parent from the family, etc., is often the root cause of many emotional and psychological problems in adulthood. Judd's film underscored this by emphasizing the impact of the death of Garry's brother in childhood.
It was also incredible to see how many other comedian's lives Garry touched and influenced along the way. It was as though Garry became somewhat of a muse in the world of comedy and comedians would seek him out for counsel and advice.
I suppose I could critique one thing about the movie. The one thing that was kind of swept under the rug and hidden from the audience, and I don't blame Judd for not emphasizing this, was Garry's apparent use and perhaps even addiction to opiate painkillers. You can see how Garry was an emotionally tormented soul, and the movie emphasizes how Garry spent a lifetime searching for truth, happiness, and contentment. The thing about opiate painkillers is they don't just numb physical pain, which Garry surely had after major surgery, but they also numb emotional pain, which surely made Garry susceptible to it's trappings. The toxicology report found Xanax, Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone in Garry's system at time of death. I think it was known among Garry's friends that he had a problem. The film could've addressed this issue head-on instead of not really addressing it at all, especially considering others in the film, or talked about in the film, like Tom Petty and Prince, died from similar reasons.
Overall a terrific look back at a comedy genius and Garry will surely be missed by everyone who knew him, and those who didn't as well. -
hiway963 February 2019The Golden Age of Documentaries continues. Judd Apatow reveals his own great, loving, giving and joyful heart by carefully unwrapping Garry for the ages. This is the medium at its finest, bringing a story few thought might interest them, placing it on the communal table to share, and satisfying the universal heart. I thank Garry for trying so hard, Judd for learning the lesson, and God for providing both. Live, learn, love and *laugh*, ok?
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jellopuke8 February 2021This is really thorough and dives deep into the career and psyche of the man. I would say it's (like all Apatow stuff) too long, but it has such a solid pay off that I forgive it the over indulgences. Just a great capsule of a man's life and work. Really, really well done.
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cekadah31 March 2018This is a rather long docu on the brilliant comedian Garry Shandling. If your are or were a fan of this famous man you will love the insight offered by others into Shandling's career in show business and his climb to fame.
But if you just remember him from his TV shows and standup comedy then this docu is tedious and almost repetitive. Sometimes it's best not to see how the magic of putting on a show is done by going back stage and seeing what it's really like. -
charliefcantrell14 August 2021A deep documentary that covers spirituality, humor, and show business. Well done and gets even better after each watch!
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helenahandbasket-9373414 April 2021Why does Apatow always feel the need to interject HIMSELF into the discussion?
Can't we just reflect back on how much we loved Garry and his self-depricating, nihilistic nervousness without 'oh hey look everybody!! It's Jud! He was a friend!! He knew him for a super long time! He has a wife and kids!! It's about Garry, but also about MEEEE!! LOOK AT ME!!!!!', is that too much to ask?
A true 10-star for everything Garry related, and 2 stars for every single time Jud feels the need to insert himself into every. Single. Series.
My God, stop it. You aren't that big of a deal. Garry was brilliant, insightful, delightfully self-loathing, and everything that you could ever want from an entertainer; Jud is a doppelgänger that seems to insert himself into everything he does in hopes we'll find him as endearing. Hint: we don't. -
rjconley-785675 January 2024Apatow does a great job of combining comedy and poignancy in capturing the essence of this incredibly brilliant, funny man. It becomes clear through the course of the documentary, that the impact of the loss of his brother haunted him throughout his life. While taking his comedy around his mother lightly over the years, it is in this documentary that we see the profound pain in their relationship. She apparently poured all of her energy into Gary in an unhealthy way to divert the pain felt in her loss. This is a must watch film for anyone who is a student of life and wants to get over idealizing that anyone else has it better than they do.