He made balloon animals at Disney Land as a kid, became a stand-up pioneer, and an SNL icon with albums that go Platinum.
Then he quits, just like that.
A peek behind the curtain of who Jerry Seinfeld calls “the most idolized comedian ever”.
“Steve! (Martin)” the documentary will surely rank in my top 20 when I do my list of best comedy documentaries.
Thanks to Ted Moore and Harrison & Christy Lazarus for moving this up in my queue.
Trailer for “Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces”
Watch “Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces”
You can watch the Steve Martin doc on Apple TV here
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You can find the latest streaming options at https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/steve-martin-a-documentary-in-2-pieces
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 95/100 (Users); 90/100 (Critics)
Release Date: March 29, 2024
My Review of “Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces”
I grew up listening to Steve Martin albums and my buddies and I would all do the “Wild and Crazy Guy” bit.
I loved him!
A Career in Two Parts
This two-part doc, directed by Morgan Neville (known for the “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain”, “20 Feet from Stardom,” “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” “Shangri-La” ,”The Music of Strangers” and 2 segments of “Abstract: The Art of Design”), dives into Steve Martin’s world, from the Disneyland gigs that started it all to the powerhouse star he is today.
The “Then” episode (part 1) tells us how Martin became comedy royalty.
The “Now” episode (part 2) shows him in his later years—an older, quieter guy who’s still hilarious and now inseparable from his comedy partner and friend, Martin Short.
I love Neville’s directing here: the 2 parts could easily be separate documentaries (they are about completely different times and Martin appears almost as two different people.
I’ve never seen a doc director split up a doc like that.
Part 1: “Then” – Martin’s Rise and the Shocking Walk-Off
In “Then,” Neville brings us into the world of young Martin, who grew up in Orange County, California, and was pulling magic tricks and balloon-animal gigs at Disneyland by 15.
By college, he was layering philosophy classes into his comedy—a quirky mix that made his routines part satire, part performance art.
He hit it big on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where his catchphrases “Excuuuuuse Me!” and “Wild and Crazy Guy” caught fire, turning Martin into the era’s unlikely comedy superstar.
With his sold-out stadium shows and comedy albums that broke platinum records, Martin was everywhere, making absurdist humor mainstream.
Saturday Night Live was practically his second home, and his slapstick classic The Jerk (1979) was the final step from quirky comic to Hollywood star.
You can’t make this sh*t up:
Then, right at the peak, Martin did the unthinkable. In August 1980, he quit stand-up.
Dropped the mic. Walked away at the top of his game, something unheard of then and still almost unthinkable today.
This part of the doc is the first thing my best buddy Ted Moore mentioned after seeing the doc (before me). It stuck with me too.
Neville uses rare footage and Martin’s own personal recordings, letting us feel the tension between Martin’s meteoric rise and his sense of burnout and detachment.
When he quit, it wasn’t just about leaving stand-up
It was a breakaway from the chaos, a reset, and Neville drives it home with a backdrop of Beach Boys music that makes Martin’s decision feel like a longing for something quieter, something real.
Part 2: “Now” – Finding His Second Act with Martin Short
In the “Now” part, the doc shifts to present-day Martin. We see him in his kitchen, far from the big arenas. Today, he’s a seasoned actor, a writer, a musician, and, as we learn, the second half of an epic comedy duo with Martin Short.
Short, a longtime friend and collaborator, isn’t just an interviewee here—he’s practically Martin’s comedy soulmate. The doc shows them doing what they do best: riffing on jokes, roasting each other in casual settings, even going for bike rides together.
These scenes between Martin and Short are shot almost like reality TV—a fly-on-the-wall look at their friendship and banter.
On a drive together, Martin muses about how he’s grown “nicer, kinder, more open,” and Short, not missing a beat, deadpans, “Yeah, because for about 50 years there, you were a real prick.”
The doc dives into their history and current work on Only Murders in the Building, as well as their stand-up tours with titles like “An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life.”
Touring since 2015, they’ve released comedy specials, snagged Emmy nominations, and have become a kind of two-man comedy institution.
Neville’s camera captures them working on jokes like two kids with a treehouse, and the effect is warm and intimate—a glimpse into what really makes Steve Martin tick these days.
Martin confides that he’ll probably retire when Short does, a testament to just how intertwined their lives and careers have become.
Watching them here, it’s clear that Short has been a key factor in Martin’s ability to relax, to let his guard down and, finally, to be himself.
I was left thinking: “I hope I have a buddy that close to me when I’m their age!”
The Theme of Longing
Neville uses the theme of longing to show the journey of a guy who once stood alone on stage, driven by existential angst and anxiety.
The “Then” segment briefly shows Martin’s collection of paintings featuring isolated figures, a nod to the theme of solitude that used to define him.
And that theme isn’t just in his art collection—it’s in the way he worked as a solo comic, in his decision to quit at his peak, and in the detached persona he carried through the ’70s. It’s no wonder he burned out; as Neville shows, the constant hustle for the next laugh became a heavy weight.
In one striking scene, Martin tries to listen to an old stand-up routine, but he can’t get through it.
He shrugs, “I have a whole new life now.”
That line says it all. The “Now” section shows Martin finally finding connection, not just with Short but with a family of his own, far removed from the stage and spotlights. It’s a kind of contentment Martin always seemed to crave but never quite reached back then.
The Evolution of Loneliness: From Solitary Comic to Connected Friend
Loneliness was a driving force in Martin’s life and art, and Neville captures it in the early days as a bittersweet ache. The doc shows how Martin’s comedy career began in solitude, with hours spent refining routines, developing a voice that was uniquely his.
His peers were friendly rivals, but the documentary shows Martin as an artist on his own path, creating work that was equally inspired by absurdist theater and philosophy.
Yet, Martin’s life today is the opposite of his solitary early years.
His bond with Martin Short is a revelation, with Neville presenting it as the anti-loneliness medicine that seems to have worked wonders.
Their relationship has an “Odd Couple” energy, equal parts sarcasm and mutual respect, and the doc doesn’t shy from showing the affection they have for each other, even as they roast each other mercilessly.
There’s a scene where Martin performs a simple two-card magic trick, something he once used to charm his future wife.
It’s a small moment, but it speaks volumes—Martin’s happiness now lies in personal connections, in the simple stuff.
Then there’s the emotional scene where he flips through bound copies of his movie scripts, stopping to recall his friendship with John Candy.
Martin reflects on a “beautiful” monologue by John Candy in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”.
He describes how Candy’s character, Del Griffith, opened up about his loneliness and lack of family.
Martin recalls being moved to tears during filming, struck by Candy’s sensitive performance, which revealed layers to Del beyond his cheerful exterior.
The powerful scene was largely cut, reduced to Del’s line, “I don’t have a home.” As Martin flips through the screenplay he has to cut himself off because he’s crying.
Wrap-Up
“Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces” is more than a look at Steve Martin’s life. It’s a story about ambition, humor, and finding fulfillment beyond the punchline.
The “Then” part captures the young Martin as the edgy, ground-breaking comic who rewrote the rulebook and then set it down to follow his own path. “Now” brings us the Martin who’s just as funny but way more comfortable in his own skin, thanks in no small part to Martin Short.
Their friendship is as close to family as it gets, and Neville’s documentary captures it beautifully, giving fans and newcomers alike a full portrait of a man who made us laugh and then, finally, learned to just be happy.
For Martin fans, this doc will be an absolute trip.
For everyone else, it’s a revealing look at how a life that seemed destined for laughs ended up being just as much about growth, friendship, and finding peace outside the spotlight.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc