Review: Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop

Conan O’Brien is angry; so angry that at times he can’t even breath. Amidst the well publicized fallout between NBC executives that saw him walk away as host of The Tonight Show after a mere six months on air has made the popular comedian unquestionably bitter about the events that unfolded. In his departure from The Tonight Show, O’Brien was legally prohibited from making television or radio appearances of any kind. Now O’Brien could have sulked in the bitterness of his situation; questioning why his twenty-two year relationship with NBC deteriorated the way it did, but instead he took this opportunity to give back to the fans that have stuck beside him through this; one on the more frustrating moments of his career.

On March 11, 2010, O’Brien announced a North American live music and comedy tour entitled “The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour”. With tickets for the concerts selling out in impressive and unexpected fashion, what started out as a small idea suddenly grew into forty performances in a thirty-two cities tour running from April to June of last year. Rodman Flender’s documentary entitled Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop takes us behind the curtains; to the preparations, rehearsals, private writing rooms, and than to the concerts themselves, as we are offered a more personal glimpse at the popular yet wounded late-night talk show host.

As a documentary, Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop fails to address the issues and events related to O’Brien’s painful departure from NBC, and as a result doesn’t offer much insights in this sense besides making it quite evident that he is still hurt and very much disturbed by the manner of how the events surrounding his departure unfolded. The film does, however, allow us to spend some time with the ginger haired icon away from the television cameras, the scripts, and make up, and what we are left with is a workaholic performer who can’t stop performing and who’s genuine appreciation for his fans and their continued support really shines through.

The film lacks the comedic element one would expect from O’Brien, but that is because the intent of this picture is not to make you laugh but rather to capture O’Brien in his most purest form; and a man who at the moment is on the rebound from a bitter disagreement, which saw him walk away from the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. Besides a twitter account, ‘The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour’ became O’Brien’s only outlet to boast confidence, remain relevant, and connect with adoring fans; and it is here in capturing the spirit of the reason behind this forty performance tour is why Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop can be deemed a success.

Christopher Misch

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I've always loved movies, but it wasn't until under the tutelage of Professor Garry Leonard at the University of Toronto that my passion for the industry became an understanding of an art form. With a specific fascination in both the western genre and Asian cinema in general, I am of the view that good movies are either enlightening or entertaining, and if you are truly lucky they are both.