Conan O'Brien Can't Stop

Conan O'Brien took over the programme he had waited years for and it was taken from him seven months later. Under the agreement he cannot appear on television for a set period. He is left with nothing to do. So he arranges a tour: he will go on stage in more than thirty cities, do comedy, sing and bring on guests. The documentary starts with the preparation and follows him through the tour. On stage he looks fine. Backstage he works constantly, listens to nobody, wears out his team and refuses to stop. Rodman Flender directs. The documentary dates from 2011. What is most striking is the subject's honesty about himself; O'Brien says directly that he is angry, that it is personal, and that the tour is a reaction. The narrative does not try to make the comedian likeable; his behaviour toward his team and his exhaustion are shown plainly. The method is observational; the camera moves between rehearsal, the bus and the dressing room. The tickets sold out quickly and the shows drew more interest than expected; the film discusses the reason for that too. Andy Richter and other members of the team comment through the narrative. Its limit is context; the dispute on the television side is not described in detail and a viewer who does not know it is left short. Who it is for: viewers who like comedy and backstage documentary. Who it is not for: the structure repeats, the subject is narrow, and the subject's mood stays the same throughout.