George Carlin’s American Dream

Directed by Emmy winners Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, the epic two-part HBO documentary George Carlin’s American Dream was nominated for five Emmys this year, including Best Documentary Special and Directing.

Described by Stephen Colbert as “the Beatles of comedy”, George Carlin’s fearless countercultural comedy spanned five decades, including 14 HBO comedy specials and more than 130 appearances on The Tonight Show, constantly evolving with the times and remaining sharply resonant up until his death in 2008 and beyond. The documentary chronicles the life and work of the legendary comedian, a cultural chameleon who is remembered as one of the most influential stand-up comics of all time.

The documentary opens an intimate window into Carlin’s personal life, and includes both material from his stand-up specials and footage from his personal archive, as well as interviews with George Carlin’s family, friends, and the people he inspired – legends like Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Patton Oswalt, Stephen Colbert, Bill Burr, Bette Midler, W Kamau Bell, Sam Jay, Judy Gold and Jon Stewart.

George Carlin’s American Dream holds a 100% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus calls it, “an exhaustive and revealing retrospective on the beloved comedian’s career that ought to be mandatory viewing for standup fans.”