CLEAR HISTORY

US, 2013, 101 minutes, Colour.
Larry David, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Kate Hudson, Danny Mc Bride, Bill Hader, Philip Baker Hall, Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes, Amy Ryan.
Directed by Greg Mottola.

A lot of the success of this comedy will depend on audience response to Larry David. His style of humour is very acerbic, often with blunt, seemingly insensitive summing up of characters as well as interactions. This can be seen in his starring role in Woody Allen’s Whatever Works. His extensive writing career includes Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Saturday Night Live.

Here, with a full head of hair and a long beard, he is Nathan, a marketing expert, who mocks his employer, Jon Hamm, when the electric car he is to promote is called Howard, after the boss’s son, after the central character in Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. A huge huff and he walks out, selling off his shares – which suddenly are worth millions and he is humiliated by everyone including the media.

10 years later, bald and shaven, he is living under an assumed name in a quiet town, having had a relationship with a waitress, Amy Ryan, playing cards with a group who support him. The boss builds a huge mansion in the town, Nathan is upset, gets in league with an eccentric character, played eccentrically by Michael Keaton with his offsider, Bill Hader, so that they will wire the house and blow it up. In the meantime, his old boss has a new wife, Kate Hudson, and Nathan takes a shine to her, even foolishly imagining that he can take her from the boss and marry her.

Lots of Larry David kind of humour, the completely self-preoccupied type who walk through situations assuming that his perspective is right – but, he always overreaches himself…

1. A Larry David comedy, his writing, acting? Is initial disclose – and in prison? The bulk of the film and his normal appearance?

2. The world of business, cars, marketing, success? The passing of 10 years? The western town, Nathan becoming Rolley, his history, relationships, Wendy? The friends in the town? Concealing his identity? The threat to the revelation of who he was?

3. The cast, the range of comic cameos?

4. Nathan, pig-headed, his trophy wife, his work in marketing, his being employed, the discussion with Will, Will’s son and his being pulled Howard, the car being called Howard? The background of Ayn Rand and The Fountainhead? His tantrum, refusing to market, his being fired? Arguments, stubborn, leaving, the media capturing him, the reports, everybody knowing about his failure?

5. Larry David and his style, acerbic, blunt comedy?

6. Will, pride in his son, the car, making billions? His wife, the building of the new house, pool and bowling? His vaunting it? His mistaking Rolley as a workman?

7. Mc Kenzie in the diner? Working on the building, wanting a job? The bargain and the threats? Rolley and his carefree/ careless attitude, the swing and its collapse, the other calamities? Rhonda liking him and defending him against Mc Kenzie?

8. Will, his wife, love? His son? The house? Rhonda and her personality, her being helped by Rolley, attracted to him, Rowley and his self-deception, her love for Will and his illness, rejection of Rolley?

9. Rolley watching The Fountainhead and getting the idea for the demolition?

10. Will, being sick, wanting to do good, reparation for Nathan?

11. The date, the fair, happy day, Rolley and his intentions for Rhonda? Completely unrealistic?

12. Joe Stumpo, Rags as his associate, eccentricities, antagonism to the house, Rolley and his propositions, the plans, the enthusiasm, Rolley taking Rhonda to the fair, their wiring the house?

13. Will, his offer of help and reparation to Nathan, too late to stop the explosion?

14. Rolley and Joe and Rags in jail?

15. The Larry David American satire?