logo
‘Andy Kaufman Is Me' Review: Solid but Unrevelatory Doc Uses Puppetry to Tackle the Iconic Comic

‘Andy Kaufman Is Me' Review: Solid but Unrevelatory Doc Uses Puppetry to Tackle the Iconic Comic

Yahoo12-06-2025
I've sat through enough duplicative documentaries over the years to know that there's very little harm, but also very little illumination, in viewing multiple projects about Fyre Festival or that ill-fated submarine or Woodstock '99.
Just because I watched Alex Braverman's Thank You Very Much, which launched at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, doesn't mean that it's bad to rehash most of the same biographical plot points and pivotal TV appearances of the enigmatic Andy Kaufman in Clay Tweel's new documentary, Andy Kaufman Is Me, premiering at Tribeca.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
'Surviving Ohio State' Review: HBO's Sexual Abuse Doc Is Thorough and Persuasive, but Lacks a New Smoking Gun
'A Tree Fell in the Woods' Review: Josh Gad and Alexandra Daddario in an Uneven, Occasionally Insightful Relationship Dramedy
Jim Sheridan's 'Re-creation' Puts One of Ireland's Most Troubling Murder Cases Back on Trial
It happens that the two Andy Kaufman documentaries are nicely complementary texts, featuring basically no overlapping talking heads and landing on mostly different life events as pivotal to Kaufman's development, even if they exert a lot of effort in coming to the same self-evident conclusion: Because so much of Andy Kaufman's life was performance art, and because Andy Kaufman died in 1984, we may never know the real Andy Kaufman — but darned if we aren't going to attempt extremely rudimentary psychiatric analysis in our failed attempt to unravel the mystery.
Andy Kaufman Is Me, which at least has a distinctive visual approach that Kaufman probably would have appreciated, is narrowly the better of the two fine documentaries. That said, I think we've hit a brick wall in this thesis on the highly influential, thoroughly unknowable icon. We can maybe wait a decade or two for our next Andy Kaufman documentary, at least until somebody has a fresher idea.
Boasting the credit 'Produced in Consultation with The Estate of Andy Kaufman,' Andy Kaufman Is Me absolutely feels like the more 'authorized' documentary.
Tweel — and producers including Dwayne Johnson, for whatever reason — is able to build his version of Kaufman's story around extensive interviews with siblings Michael and Carol; Kaufman's own audio journals; and a wide assortment of recorded conversations between biographer Bill Zehme and Kaufman's father Stanley as well as other key figures. The immediacy of these relations and connections contributes warmth and poignancy, but not necessarily deep insight into the man that Kaufman actually became.
The Braverman documentary, with its interviews with Kaufman's longtime creative collaborator Bob Zmuda and longtime girlfriend Lynne Margulies, had much better representation from the individuals closest to Kaufman at the peak of his fame and infamy — hence my feeling that these two documentaries nestle nicely into each other, even if there's an inherent staleness to watching people attempt to solve the same riddle over and over again. It's as if Sherlock Holmes had failed to solve the crime in A Study in Scarlet and had spent the rest of his life explaining that he hadn't exactly been wrong, that it was just a really difficult case.
Andy Kaufman Is Me doesn't offer much that counts as surprising, but how could it? This documentary has a better perspective, for example, on Kaufman's time at community college and how it shaped his goals, but once his career accelerates, even casual fans know the key beats. He exploded as perhaps the original alt-comedy star, with his off-putting sets that were, as several people observe, more theater than standup. He became a huge sensation thanks to Saturday Night Live and regular late-night appearances that left the various hosts as perplexed as they were amused.
With Taxi, he became an even bigger deal, but not really the star he wanted to be, because he was ill-suited for scripted sitcom containment. He alienated friends and fans alike with his alter ego Tony Clifton and with his notorious incursions into the world of wrestling. Then he got cancer and either died or faked his own death, if your participation in the Andy Kaufman Memorial Complex hinges on that conspiratorial interpretation.
Tweel's point of entry is Kaufman's semi-autobiographical novel The Huey Williams Story, seeds of which feature heavily in the 84 hours of personal tapes the director was able to acquire. The book was published as a work-in-progress by his brother in 1999, but Tweel treats it as a snapshot into Kaufman's brain, one that can only be captured through puppetry by the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.
The use of dead-eyed versions of Kaufman and Clifton is suitably eerie and alienating, suggesting that the best way to learn the truth about Andy Kaufman might be to view him through another artificial and fictional remove. The puppetry is whimsical and creepy, connecting well with the ABC special in which Kaufman met Howdy Doody, a pure and beautiful moment that both recent documentaries correctly assess as a mid-career Rosetta Stone. It's a worthwhile aesthetic swing for Tweel to take, but I'm not sure the attempt to give Andy Kaufman Is Me a four-act structure that semi-mirrors the hero's journey in the book adds much, and it never becomes as confrontationally surreal as Kaufman's writing clearly aspired to be.
It isn't like Tweel is fully committed to the puppetry and structure anyway. At some point, the documentary just pauses its forward momentum to let people like David Letterman (another executive producer here), Eric Andre and Tim Heidecker explain why Andy Kaufman was influential, which is both completely accurate and completely self-evident in this context.
I will never object to spending 100 minutes remembering Kaufman's defining sketches and marveling at the ambitions that his death left unfulfilled. It's time, though, for documentarians to take a break from offering interpretations of Kaufman's life that claim to be unprecedented — at least until one truly is.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT
'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘South Park' creators reveal battle with network over wild Trump depiction, joke they're ‘terribly sorry'
‘South Park' creators reveal battle with network over wild Trump depiction, joke they're ‘terribly sorry'

New York Post

time27 minutes ago

  • New York Post

‘South Park' creators reveal battle with network over wild Trump depiction, joke they're ‘terribly sorry'

'South Park' creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone discussed their controversial season 27 premiere at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, revealing a behind-the-scenes battle with network executives over airing a less-than-flattering depiction of President Donald Trump's penis during Wednesday's episode. The duo behind the long-running Comedy Central series spoke alongside a panel of other adult cartoon creators at the event, including 'Beavis and Butt-Head' creator, Mike Judge, and 'Digman!' co-creator, Andy Samberg. When asked if they had been following the reaction to their season 27 premiere by the panel's moderator, Josh Horowitz, Parker jokingly replied, 'We're terribly sorry.' As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, that's about as far as the creators went in responding to the controversy stirred by the episode, although Stone did address Trump more directly later in the discussion when the duo were asked about how they originally met. 'For me and Trey, we met over 'Monty Python,'' he said. 'In this day, when PBS is getting their funding cut, that's how I found 'Monty Python.'' Stone's comments on PBS come on the heels of a congressional vote last week to cut funding for public broadcasting. Trump signed the $9 billion spending cuts package into law on Thursday. 'South Park' creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone revealed they went toe-to-toe with network executives before airing their controversial season 27 premiere at San Diego Comic-Con. Getty Images According to Parker, the show's team finalized the season's premiere episode just shortly before it aired. 'Just three days ago, we were going, 'I don't know if people are going to like this,'' Parker said, adding that the duo were reading news headlines and said to each other, 'Let's put that in there.' Horowitz questioned the 'South Park' creators about whether there were any concerns about the season premiere from higher-ups at Comedy Central, with Parker detailing a discussion with the network about showing Trump's penis on the show. The creators of the long-running Comedy Central series detailed how the executives wanted Trump's penis blurred, as the duo told them, 'No, you're not gonna blur the penis.' REUTERS 'They were like, 'We're gonna blur the penis,' and we're like, 'No, you're not gonna blur the penis,'' Parker responded, adding that the show's team agreed to add eyes to the depiction of the president's penis to make it a character. The White House, however, did not seem thrilled about the season 27 premiere of 'South Park.' White House Assistant Press Secretary Taylor Rogers issued a statement regarding Wednesday's episode to Fox News Digital on Thursday. 'The Left's hypocrisy truly has no end — for years, they have come after South Park for what they labeled as 'offense' [sic] content, but suddenly they are praising the show,' Rogers stated. 'Just like the creators of South Park, the Left has no authentic or original content, which is why their popularity continues to hit record lows. This show hasn't been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention. President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country's history — and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump's hot streak.'

Is Happy Gilmore 2 worth watching? Critics deliver verdict on Adam Sandler sequel
Is Happy Gilmore 2 worth watching? Critics deliver verdict on Adam Sandler sequel

Yahoo

time10 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Is Happy Gilmore 2 worth watching? Critics deliver verdict on Adam Sandler sequel

Adam Sandler's anger-prone golfer returns to the green - but is Happy Gilmore 2 worth spending your precious free telly time on? Adam Sandler dusts off his clubs for Happy Gilmore 2 after a nearly 30-year break. The film officially hits Netflix today but with so much content vying for your attention, is this highly anticipated comedy sequel worth spending your precious free telly time on? Picking up in real-time after the events of 1996's first film, Happy Gilmore 2 finds its titular hero in need of money once more — and a bit of a pick-me-up. Last time we saw Happy, he entered the prestigious PGA Tour in order to bag the prize money and save his poor grandma's house from being repossessed. This time, he's washed up and willing to do anything to secure the funds needed to send his daughter to a swanky Parisian ballet school. Cue a return to the links and plenty of Sandler-esque tomfoolery. That's the elevator pitch, but is Happy Gilmore 2 actually any good? Well, reviews for the sequel have started to make their way online, each painting a picture of its worthiness. For the most part, many outlets seem to be aware of the movie's flaws but remain insistent that fans will love it regardless. Over on The Hollywood Reporter, their write-up said: 'Like the first film, the sequel (directed by Kyle Newacheck) proves moronic, witless and relentlessly vulgar. Which is to say, Happy Gilmore fans will love it.' Their review continued, suggesting viewers may need a "cheat sheet" to fully appreciate its throng of guest star cameos. In case you missed it, the movie features guest appearances from sports stars like Travis Kelce, to musicians like Eminem and Bad Bunny. Speaking of which, the outlet happily admitted that the latter was a particularly fun watch. 'Surprisingly, Bad Bunny turns out to be utterly endearing, and very funny, as a busboy whom Happy hires as his caddie." Critic Frank Scheck adds: 'Although it's unlikely that anyone had the Puerto Rican superstar slathering a bare-chested Travis Kelce with honey, as he does here, on their cinematic bingo card.' Variety echoed the film's dedication to giving fans exactly what they want to see. Their critique called Sandler's sequel "a happy orgy of raucously well-executed Adam Sandler fan service" and a "pointed exercise in nostalgia" complete with a "present-tense edge." For all those reading this who recently found themselves wondering where all the big stupid comedies have gone, Variety's critic Owen Gleiberman thinks Happy Gilmore 2 could answer that question. "It takes us back to a time when idiot comedy was really built," suggested the critic, adding that the film feels like "the 30-year high-school reunion" of its predecessor. Meanwhile, IndieWire believes that Sandler and original Happy Gilmore scribe Tim Herlihy (who returned to pen part 2) bring nostalgia to a new place. To illustrate their point, they call upon the movie's opening sequence. We won't spoil it here but needless to say, it uses raw emotion to reintroduce us to Happy at a time where he's anything but. "There's something impressive about Sandler and Tim Herlihy's script using that as a jumping-off point," says Kate Erbland's review of this heart-wrenching moment. They also commended the film's recognition of those who starred in the original but who are sadly no longer with us. "That's all baked in, and while not always successfully (three of those characters are ultimately revisited by way of the use of on-screen sons, who provide tenuous fill-in work), there's something to be said for how the film doesn't look away from those implications," explained the critic. "Time has marched on, and not everyone has continued on that walk." This thought was mirrored over on The AV Club, who discussed the film's handling of perhaps its biggest missing character: Happy's golfing guide Chubbs, played by the late Carl Weathers. Jesse Hassenger's review said the film acts "as an ongoing memorial to the many Gilmore cast members who have passed away since 1996, including Carl Weathers (whose Chubbs was already dead, but surely would have popped up for a ghostly consultation)." Overall, Hassenger thought that while Happy Gilmore 2 may not be far-and-away better than its predecessor, it's at least on par with it. "Happy Gilmore 2 doesn't stand on its own enough to rate alongside the company's best work for the streamer," they explained. Quickly adding that "the sequel is another indication that Sandler is still undertaking his longtime mission of making silly comfort-food comedies with the stealth seriousness of older age." Of course, it's important to note that these reviews are just the opinions of a select few. An official critical score is yet to hit movie aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. However, at the time of writing, the comedy follow-up is currently sitting sweet with an audience rating of 67%. Clearly, most viewers seem to be glad that Happy is back at long last. Happy Gilmore 2 is available to stream on Netflix now. Solve the daily Crossword

‘E! News' Canceled After 34 Years
‘E! News' Canceled After 34 Years

Yahoo

time10 hours ago

  • Yahoo

‘E! News' Canceled After 34 Years

E! News has been canceled as a linear television show, a source with knowledge of the decision told The Hollywood Reporter. It will officially end on Sept. 25; the nightly entertainment-news program launched in 1991. The show had a two-year hiatus during COVID. E! News will continue on as a digital brand. Employees learned of the cancellation news this morning, THR is told. Tonight's show will be a repeat; new episodes will resume next week. Access Hollywood and Access Daily will continue on as normal from their production facility at Terrace Studios. More from The Hollywood Reporter Stellan Skarsgard to Receive Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at Sarajevo Film Fest 'Happy Gilmore 2' Review: Adam Sandler's Netflix Sequel Is Terrible - and Fans Will Love It Nigeria's C.J. "Fiery" Obasi Created This Spot, and Two More, for Locarno Pro's Open Doors (Exclusive) Some E! News correspondents will follow the channel to Versant (formerly referred to simply as SpinCo.), the source said, though those roles are as of now TBD. NBCUniversal has split itself in two. The NBC broadcast network, the studios, Peacock and Bravo will stay as key pieces of NBCU; all of the rest (USA Network, Syfy, E!, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen and Golf Channel, plus digital businesses Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes and Golf Now) will make up new company Versant. Versant will be led by CEO Mark Lazarus, chief financial officer and chief operating officer Anand Kini, and chairman David Novak; other senior executives will be plucked from the ranks of NBCUniversal. Cable channel E! still airs (some) original programming, like Botched Presents: Plastic Surgery Rewind and Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour, as well as acquired content. The network recently announced upcoming series Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane and E!'s Dirty Rotten Scandals. The network remains a destination for red carpet coverage as well as January's Critics Choice Awards. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise Solve the daily Crossword

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store