Seinfeld revealed

Jerry Seinfeld’s documented efforts in Comedian to return to his comedic roots as a stand-up is worth watching whether you like the guy or not. For one thing, the soundtrack is top-notch and in fact may be the best part of film. And Seinfeld’s interactions with other comedians, Chris Rock, Gary Shandling, Ray Romano and (especially) Bill Cosby are insightful, funny and revealing. The problem running through this documentary is Seinfeld himself; or at least the character his immensely popular television show created. When early on he suffers painfully through a live, on-stage, 30-minute performance, forgetting his lines getting and mildly heckled, it just feels like part of the Seinfeld shtick. He is the king of ironic sarcasm, even if it was declared dead after 9/11. And this is Jerry. You’re not laughing at him, you’re laughing with him. It’s just too hard to take this guy seriously. Even when he pays his respects to Cosby, in what is truly an underling bowing to the master, you have to wonder if Seinfeld’s reverence is sincere. In the end, Comedian is an honest documentary about a stand-up comic who is hard to take seriously.