TrueJoshNight
Truly Dreadful Film
ReaderKenka
Let's be realistic.
Plustown
A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.
kofila
When I first saw Marc Maron on stage I didn't like him. I felt his neurotic, angry and somewhat embittered persona was just a shtick to hide a little scary man behind. To some extent I still feel that way but as time went I found it to be more and more candid and genuine and through that, much more relatable. From his stand-up I moved towards the WTF podcast and then the TV show. At the end it all feels very much connected and honest because it all comes from a place of honesty and that is why I like Maron now. I respect him for being truthful about his life, about his struggles, about his narcisism and most of all for being a great story-teller and interviewer. Wonder if the show ended on Marc's terms (daily job must have been a terror for him) or if it was cancelled because they should have kept going..
Charles Herold (cherold)
I only watched the first episode of Maron, not because I didn't like it, but because I didn't like it *enough* to commit. It follows the Louis C.K. approach of a shambling storyline, a fictionalized version of the protagonist comic, and a generally downbeat sensibility.There are so many series of this sort nowadays that I'm beginning to think Louis C.K. is a comedy subgenre, and honestly, it's one I don't quite connect with. I like my comedy a bit more polished - I prefer the detailed stories and rat-a-tat jokes of 30 Rock or Arrested Development to the bitter musings approach of something like Maron.That's not to say the series isn't funny, because at times it is. The first episode begins with a funny, painful scene of Maron hitting on a mortified veterinarian, and Dave Foley's guest turn as himself is quite amusing. But it's a wandering show about an unlikable guy, and ultimately that's a subgenre I cannot fully appreciate.
wjpiv
Get ready not to laugh! Ever wondered how the comedy sausage is made? Here's your chance to see the laughter being mechanically separated from the sad lonely misunderstood life of a comedian! I'll say this much in his defence, Maron is slightly less grating than Louie C.K. when he acts his little heart out. He comes from a place of rage on a consistent basis, so his more than abundant whining tends to lean towards angry old man rant whereas Louie C.K. sounds like a depressed Deputy Dawg crossed with a suicidal Eeyore when he tries to do serious acting. Nevertheless, if Marc would only realize that the 60s ended long ago so he can stop saying "man" every two minutes than that would be totally far out and groovy. Also, could he please never have sex on screen ever again. I know that it's all the rage lately thanks to people, like cutting-edge feminist savant Lena Dunham, for unattractive people to get laid on camera. However, when a dude pulls that BS, it just seems self-indulgent unless the actress involved is equally unappealing and let's face it, working actresses, even if they're "character" actresses, don't tend to look like a constipated old shoe. Anyway, just like Louie, I will continue to watch this show, because I hate myself and I don't deserve even a few minutes of pleasure, let alone a lifetime of happiness. It's truly part of my penance for being such a bad person over what I can only assume are multiple evil incarnations. Besides others keep calling it "art" given that American culture is so devoid of any mastery of dark comedy so many of us North Americans don't know for that genre (hint - people tend to still laugh at it - awkwardly, but still there's humour of the funny variety involved). Still it could be worse... After all, in France, they still think Jerry Lewis is funny when he does his "Ching-Chong Chinaman" impressions and I don't think that it's even in an ironic sense.
Rob Wilson
It's hard to separate my fandom from WTF and this show to give an honest review, but I'll give it a shot. My initial reaction was to stop after the first episode. Frankly, Marc's acting was a bit hard to watch at times. But knowing his ungodly knack for comfort on the radio, my guess was that he would get better. My patience paid off. You see a mostly steady increase in his confidence as each episode progresses, though I'm not convinced they were all shot in order. Marc has the ability to both draw you in and annoy you in the same sentence. Gregory House couldn't do this any better. But that is his real life. What might seem like a tense moment for some, as Marc often confronts those friends (and enemies) he has on his podcast, is simply his bread and butter. He operates in a world of bitterness, jealousy, and chaos. He openly admits his frustrations with life and the decisions he makes, yet recognizes his unhealthy habits. Much of this comes through on the show but in a far less depressing manor. What some may consider as "Hollywooding" (odd thing to say about IFC) Marc's life, I would say is a necessity to making this story watchable. The cameos (especially for fans of comedians) are another part of the show that lifts what could have been dark and depressing sitcom, into a competent story of a neurotic entertainer. And while this fictional world parallels Marc's life in some ways, it manages to keep it's distance at times.This is no Louie. It does not try to be. Both shows are very different. Surprisingly, Maron would seem to me more appealing to a broader audience than Louie, though I hate to compare them. Louie's show reaches a level of dark that I think most people will not appreciate, though it obviously has a large following (and yes, I am a fan).For now, this show belongs on IFC. If Marc's acting continues to improve, Maron could really benefit from a network change. I would encourage everyone to give it a shot (It's on Netflix!), to see if it's right for you.
