Miniseries – George Carlin's American Dream

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Jason M. @OnlyAtJMart Jun 22, 2026 Great documentary! George Carlin was one of my favorite thinkers, and no one has or probably will replace him. He was great at pointing out hypocrisy, and putting things into perspective. I love that they incorporated things he talked about 30 years ago, that are still true today. Even more now than when he talked about them. This is an important documentary for anyone that is a fan, or has yet to see his work. I've been a fan most of my life, have seen all of his HBO specials, saw him perform live, twice, have seen a bunch of biographical specials about him, and own all of his books including Last Words which was released posthumously, and written by Tony Hendra (who worked with Carlin on it until his death). Even this documentary had things I didn't know. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Sep 3, 2025 2 real episodes with humor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Kevin P @RT55971421 Jan 24, 2025 A fascinating documentary about George Carlin’s life and ever evolving career. It really dove deep into his personal connections and what drove his comedy and philosophy. The comedians and family members chosen were all wonderful to listen to interview and reflect on George Carlin’s impact on them and his legacy as a whole. Judd Apatow’s direction can be a tad obvious at times, but that is but a minor blemish on this otherwise fascinating documentary about one of my favorite comedians and philosophers of all time. See more Kevin L @Lakeman Feb 24, 2024 This largely confirms my general take on Carlin as a standup, and the quality of his work at the different stages of his career. To be fair, I was really familiar most with his 70's-80's work, having seen his tv show work in skits as well as his tv-safe standup performances along with his 80's cable standup specials. I appreciated seeing this early side of Carlin. He was a clever guy, for sure. And his growth and evolution as comedic performer is reminiscent of Pryor's, with both realizing they had to be true to themselves first and quit placating to the puritanical types or just overly 'moral' majority. But a good bit of the run time was repetitive to the point of distraction and annoyance for me. Family dynamics and marital issues leading to drug abuse, incl. alcohol, come up repeatedly, and I wasn't watching the doc for the melodrama or the family secrets of this incredibly influential and beloved entertainer. More than a meditation on and showcase for his comedy stylings and his place in comedic history, it's more like a biography of his adult life in its approach. That said, there is considerable use of his performances over the years and stages of his career and his life. I remember the cable specials as I'd watch them at my sister's when I'd stay with her. Seeing the work he did with Burns, who I only knew from small parts on shows like "The Andy Griffith Show' was a surprise. Lotta tv work in the 60's. Another issue I had was too many segments w/ comics talking about Carlin that wasn't adding much that was specific about why his technique was special or influential. Patton Oswalt? They all praise him, while admitting his ups & downs w/ quality work, but why not talk about how dark & contemptible he got? His utter disdain for America deserved some reaction, imo, if your gonna be objective and balanced. George should've spent some time abroad. Would've shown him there's more potential for sane, healthy culture and sociopolitical progress than what he lived in. 3.7 stars See more Gareth v @geewah Jun 18, 2023 A thorough and informative doco that covers the many phases of George Carlin. With plenty of interesting talking heads and access to his personal archives this dco is a must see into the life of this comedic genius. See more David F @dfulmer Apr 10, 2023 An exemplary documentary about the great comedian. This long film is full of clips from tv and movies that convey the breadth and depth of Carlin's career. It shows his early tv and radio entertainer persona and then his later more counter-culture humour, up to his somewhat grim nihilistic phase just before his death. Interviews with his brother, wife, and daughter provide ample details about his personal and professional life starting in the 40s and continuing up to his death in 2008. This is not only a very funny movie, it is also an in depth look at the art of comedy. See more Read all reviews

George Carlin's American Dream — Miniseries

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