Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald

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Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald

R

2026

2h 6m

Documentary

Biography

Comedy

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88%

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16 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald traces the life and career of the stand-up and Saturday Night Live legend, from his rise as the deadpan anchor of “Weekend Update” to his enduring legacy as a comedian’s comedian — a master of absurd, dry, and unexpected humor. Built from archival footage, personal photos, and rare home videos contributed by fans and friends, the documentary lets Norm tell his own story in his own voice.

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Owen Gleiberman

Variety

Oct 21, 2026

As you watch Judd Apatow’s juicy and haunting documentary “Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald,” you realize that there was a special thing about him. He was a comic’s comic…who everyone else loved too.

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Daniel Fienberg

The Hollywood Reporter

Oct 20, 2026

Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald isn’t his best, but Apatow remains very good at this thing he’s found himself doing.

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J. Kelly Nestruck

Globe and Mail

Oct 20, 2026

The impression left is that this is Macdonald’s biggest legacy: This world where stand-ups are best known for sitting down in front of mics and chatting with each other.

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Sean L. McCarthy

Decider

2 days ago

Macdonald may have lost almost every comedy job he had, but he stayed true to his own comedy truth. And for that, he maintained a faithful fandom. This loving tribute to him is something his fans will also love.

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Bill Brioux

Brioux.tv

3 days ago

That Macdonald left behind such a legacy of original, eccentric humour spread over decades of fearless free speech seems even more precious now than ever.

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John Stark

Mac the Movie Guy

4 days ago

85/100

A solid documentary. Why don’t you do the dirty work and check it out?

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Scott R

@ScottR 2 days ago

I love Norm, and this documentary was an interesting tribute about him and his work. However, will it win awards? Was it super insightful? It did provide a better understanding of him and his humor, but this was not one that will be remembered for other than showing how much comedians loved him. Saw on Netflix.

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TheCarpy79 T

@Carpy 4 days ago

Great documentary, love and miss Norm.

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tim C

@tc347415 4 days ago

I couldn't stop watching LOL. Just a naturally funny person who had his own style and wit. He was really loved/admired by other comedians. I think he had a lot of guts, who learned some things are best not said. I felt a loneliness in his personal life. I have a lot of admiration for Norm. I think he had amazing talent.

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Nick N

@Narodny 5 days ago

Norms the best

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Matteo A

@RT99989624 6 days ago

Simply beautiful.

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Bill W

@RT35741549 Oct 22, 2026

The entire point of the documentary is that Norm was unknowable. So we go down a rabbit hole, trying to learn about him. He had dreams, and he had triumphs and failures and love and loss, but he kept it mostly to himself. You see glimpses of truth about how his life and his career affected him, but it’s all revealed under the veneer of his masterful work. That’s art.

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Judd Apatow

Director

Norm Macdonald

Self

Judd Apatow

Producer

Amanda Rohlke

Producer

Ross M. Dinerstein

Producer

Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald traces the life and career of the stand-up and Saturday Night Live legend, from his rise as the deadpan anchor of “Weekend Update” to his enduring legacy as a comedian’s comedian — a master of absurd, dry, and unexpected humor. Built from archival footage, personal photos, and rare home videos contributed by fans and friends, the documentary lets Norm tell his own story in his own voice.

Director: Judd Apatow
Producer: Judd Apatow, Amanda Rohlke, Ross M. Dinerstein
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Campfire Studios
Rating: R
Genre: Documentary, Biography, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 16, 2026
Runtime: 2h 6m

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