Real Life

Real Life is a 1979 classic, iconic comedy film directed by Albert Brooks that innovatively employs a mockumentary style, which, despite being unusual at the time of its release, went on to inspire many later movie and TV hits. Other than being in the directorial helm, Brooks also shares screen time with co-stars Dick Haynes and Matthew Tobin, playing dual roles both behind and in front of the camera.

In the film, Brooks portrays a less-than-honest but entertainingly eccentric version of himself, functioning as both the protagonist and the narrator. He is on a distinctive mission to capture the nuanced essence of the American life, specifically the daily mundane experiences of a stereotypical Phoenix-based suburban middle-class family. The kicker is that he plans to encapsulate their existence entirely unscripted and unfiltered, using constantly rolling cameras.

In his portrayal, Brooks gently satirizes his own profession, the film industry, and the pseudo-pompousness of creators who claim to capture reality and truth objectively, underlining the fact that the process of observation often changes the outcome. He tackles the obsession with reality, which was just starting to peek its head in popular culture during the time the movie was released. The result is a humorous commentary on how the medium of film is often more about creating illusions than capturing reality.

The Clark family, led by Warren Clark, played by Charles Grodin, becomes the focus of Brook’s mission. Grodin's performance adds a certain charm to the character of Mr. Clark, presenting a classic portrayal of the all-American father struggling under the consistent surveillance of the film crew, becoming more self-conscious and unnatural by the day. His reactions to maintaining normalcy whilst the family's privacy is invaded adds to the hilarity and absurdity of the situation.

Dick Haynes stars as Dr. Ted Cleary, who comes in as a psychologist to ensure the emotional well-being of the Clark Family while they're under the constant scrutiny of the cameras, bringing an element of subtle comedy through his character. Matthew Tobin, as a studio executive, acquires a more serious demeanor to heighten contrast with Brook's flamboyant on-screen presence, contributing towards the overall comedic theme of the piece.

Internally conflicted and hilariously chaotic, the Clark family accommodates the invasive presence of the cameras in their home, amplifying tension and producing unexpected circumstances. Albert Brooks, as himself, navigates the ensuing chaos, trying to remain true to his original mission. On the other hand, his ambition to achieve cinematic and ratings success continually forces him to stage and manipulate situations leading to an absurdly entertaining narrative.

The movie expertly examines the paradox of "authenticity" in reality TV, the artificiality created when attempting to capture real life on film, and the disruption caused by the invasion of privacy to create entertainment content. From a historical viewpoint, the element of foreshadowing of today’s "reality TV boom" seen in the film might have been unintentional, but it nonetheless provides an insightful perspective into our current television culture obsession.

Real Life was the first feature for Brooks as a director, which he co-wrote with Harry Shearer and Monica Johnson. The film brilliantly treads a fine line between the hilarity and discomfort that creeps in with the invasion of privacy for the sake of entertainment. Written with visual wit and sparkling dialogue, the humor is clever and well-crafted, accurately satirizing the conventions of documentary filmmaking. However, the movie isn't just about laughs. It subtly refracts on our society's obsession with watching real-life drama unfold, only hinting at the moral implications.

Albert Brooks' ground-breaking mockumentary Real Life is an insightful, hilarious satire on the powerful impact of media on our lives. Its comedy feels ahead of its time, and it is particularly appreciated today for its prescient tackle on the concept of "reality" entertainment.