Refocus: The Films of Albert Brooks

Offers the first book-length investigation Albert Brooks' more than six-decade comedy careerSituates Albert Brooks' films in their cultural contexts, including representations of class, gender, religion, and raceAssesses Albert Brooks' critical reputation and relative popularity, including his influence on contemporary filmmakers and comediansAnalyses every film written and directed by Albert Brooks, as well as a number of his acting and voice-over roles, his stand-up comedy albums, his talk show appearances, and his writing, both short-form and novelisticThis is the first sustained critical collection on Albert Brooks, one of the key but under-examined figures in American stand-up, television comedy and Hollywood film comedy. Analysing every film written and directed by Albert Brooks, including Real Life (1979), Modern Romance (1981) and Lost in America (1985), as well as a number of his acting and voice-over roles, his stand-up comedy albums, talk show appearances and writing, the book argues that Albert Brooks not only merits a wider viewership, both critical and popular, but also that his career offers a useful lens through which to understand American film and culture since the late 1960s.