It’s a comeback story, a character study, and a reminder of why Conan is one of the comedy GOATs.
If you’re a Conan fan, you’ll love this doc.
And if you’re not, you’re still likely gonna appreciate watching a master at his craft.
It’s currently #6th in my List of Funniest Documentaries (29 of them!)
Thanks to JM McNab (Cracked) and Tim Ferriss for moving this up in my queue.
Trailer for “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop”
Watch “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop”
You can stream the doc for free on YouTube here:
…or for free at these places:
- Hoopla at https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/11049439
- Tubi (with ads) at https://tubitv.com/movies/453777/conan-o-brien-cant-stop
- Fubo (with ads) at https://www.fubo.tv/welcome/program/MV003544590000/conan-o-brien-cant-stop
- Pluto (with ads) at https://pluto.tv/en/on-demand/movies/5bdc73e4390f8e41a1138b76
- Vudu Fandango (with ads) at https://www.vudu.com/content/browse/details/Conan-O-Brien-Can-t-Stop/197291
…or stream it for $$ on Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube, Google Play et al.
Check here for the latest streaming options: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/conan-obrien-cant-stop
Ratings:
- My Rating: 93/100
- IMDB Rating: 7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 68/100 (Users); 82/100 (Critics)
Review of “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop”
In “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop”, director Rodman Flender gives us a behind-the-curtain peek at the comedian’s 2010 “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television” tour.
Conan hit the road after his very public break-up with NBC and The Tonight Show.
He was contractually banned from TV but hungry to entertain.
The 89-minute doc follows the gangly, orange-pompadoured late night legend as he vents frustrations, workshops material, and tries to keep the show rolling through exhaustion and antics.
It turns out, the title isn’t kidding.
We see that Conan literally can’t stop himself from putting on a performance (including riffing with his team, hamming it up with VIP guests and taping goofy backstage videos).
The man is an unrelenting comedy machine fueled by ego, insecurity, and some primal need for audience adoration.
It’s by turns exhilarating and a little scary to see Conan’s manic energy and nonstop riffing, even as he battles burnout on the punishing tour schedule.
My favorite parts of the doc include learning that:
- Conan doesn’t read reviews — never has.
- Conan can legitimately play rhythm guitar and sing(there’s footage of him playing at Jack White’s studio in Nashville).
- Conan claims he has never turned down a fan request for an autograph (and I believe him).
Flender’s doc gives us an intimate, unfiltered look at Conan’s psyche that fans will relish.
The barrage of jokes can’t fully mask the raw wounds from the NBC debacle or the self-doubts gnawing at the star.
Still, the laughs keep coming thanks to his ace timing and gung-ho band of writers, musicians and sidekicks (oh hey, Andy Richter!) who egg on the controlled chaos.
In the end, you get a portrait of a comedy warrior determined to get the last laugh, even if it kills him.
Forget “I’m With Coco” – after this doc, our rallying cry might be “Someone get Conan a vacation!”
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc