Real Life *** (1979, Albert Brooks, Dick Haynes, Matthew Tobin, Charles Grodin, Frances Lee McCain) – Classic Movie Review 10,742

The 1979 mockumentary film Real Life is a funny, inventive early comedy from the talented writer-director Albert Brooks, who also plays himself, a loathesome toad of a documentary film-maker recording the lives of an average American family – that of Warren and Jeanette Yeager (Charles Grodin and Frances Lee McCain) – for one year.

It is the first feature directed by Brooks, who co-writes with Monica Johnson and they went on to write Modern Romance (1981) and Lost in America (1985) together.

Charles Grodin plays Warren Yeager, Frances Lee McCain plays Jeanette Yeager, Robert Stirrat plays Eric Yeager and Lisa Urette plays Lisa Yeager.

Albert Brooks’s real name is Albert Einstein. The role-reversal family in the film is played by the real family of Clifford Einstein, who is Albert Brooks’s older brother. Clifford Einstein plays Role Reversal Family Father, Mandy Einstein plays Role Reversal Family Mother, Harold Einstein plays Role Reversal Family Son and Karen Einstein plays Role Reversal Family Daughter.

Also in the cast are Dick Haynes, Matthew Tobin, J A Preston, James L Brooks, Mort Lindsey, Joseph Schaffler, Phyllis Quinn, James Ritz, and Zeke Manners.

It ends with a barcode for Alka-Seltzer.

Brooks was filming under pressure to finish on-budget, because he would have been responsible for any extra costs.

Real Life is directed by Albert Brooks, runs 99 minutes, is made by Paramount Pictures, is released by Paramount Pictures, is written by Albert Brooks, Monica Johnson and Harry Shearer, is shot by Eric Saarinen, is produced by Penelope Spheeris and is scored by Mort Lindsey.

The films directed by Albert Brooks are: Real Life (1979), Modern Romance (1981), Lost in America (1985), Defending Your Life (1991), Mother (1996), The Muse (1999) and Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,742

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