Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop
Directed by: Rodman Flender

When Conan O’Brien was unceremoniously dumped as the host of The Tonight Show by NBC last year, as part of his settlement he found himself banished from television for six months along with the rest of his crew. But rather than just taking an extended vacation like any other big star would, he decided to set off on a grueling comedy tour across North America as a way of keeping his crew employed and also as a way of giving back to the fans who supported him throughout the ordeal. Longtime friend and filmmaker Rodman Flender came along for the ride with a camera crew, and what he ended up capturing was somewhat surprising — not to mention, hilarious.

After having caught The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour during its stop in Toronto last year, I was worried that this movie would be more of a concert film than a behind-the-scenes documentary. I am happy to report that this film is a lot more than just that, and in fact, although I enjoyed the live show, I’d go so far as to say that this documentary is much more entertaining. The movie takes us behind the scenes and inside the mind of a hard-working comedian and talk show host whose future is uncertain and who is still trying to deal with the anger of being stabbed in the back by network execs.

Director Rodman Flender (Idle Hands, Leprechaun 2) apparently went to school with Conan, and yet despite their close relationship this is not some fluff piece making him out to be a hero. That being said, I’m not sure that it really exposes a shocking “dark side” to Conan either, which is what I had heard going into the film. For the most part, I was simply struck by how much his real-life personality matches the happy-go-lucky guy we see on TV. Clearly he’s playing things up for the camera at times, but even in the face of adversity it is obvious that he loves his job and the people he works with — which is precisely why losing The Tonight Show was such a big blow to him.

He does poke fun at his writers and staff members quite frequently (they also seem to share an inside joke that involves continually punching each other in the arm), and perhaps there are a few times where he takes things too far. But in my mind, the only time we truly see Conan in a less than flattering light, however, is when he starts to lose his patience with all the celebrity meet and greets, fan signings and public appearances. He seems to be dangerously close to wearing himself out, but proves to be his own worst enemy in this regard, as he simply cannot help going the extra mile for the people around him. This is where the film’s title becomes particularly poignant.

An interesting and unexpected relationship that takes center stage in the film is the one between Conan and his personal assistant, Sona Movsesian, who must endure more of Conan’s barbs and self-doubt than the rest. However, she rolls with the punches and shows a superhuman amount of patience with him, ultimately playing an unsung hero in the tour’s success. It struck me that this is such a crucial relationship for a lot of people in Hollywood, as personal assistants often see more of their employer than their families do, and it was fascinating to see this play out on screen.

Most importantly, however, Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop is a very funny documentary, and members of Team Coco will not be disappointed in that regard. Conan is extremely sharp off the cuff (as is Andy Richter), and there are a lot of little moments that just make this movie a joy to watch. As expected, the movie captures some of the best parts from the live shows, including Conan’s 8 Stages of Grieving After Losing a Talk Show and the filming of the intro sketch where Conan plays a power hungry TV executive. There are also a handful of memorable celebrity cameos including Jim Carrey, Stephen Colbert, Jack White, and Eddie Vedder. Highlights outside of the tour itself include Conan performing in a talent show for his 25 year class reunion at Harvard and also emceeing the 2010 Bonnaroo festival.

While it’s not the most visually striking film, Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop exceeded my expectations on many levels. Not only is it funny and insightful, but it also has some genuine heartfelt moments, and offers a rare look at the psyche of someone whose job it has been to entertain people 5 days a week for almost 20 years. The movie does seems to skim over some of the significance of a TV host taking his show on the road using only Twitter and social media to promote it. However, Flender’s relationship with Conan gives him great access and ultimately makes Conan comfortable enough to simply be himself in front of the camera, which is what makes this doc so special. Don’t miss it when it eventually hits TV, VOD or DVD later this year. — Sean

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