User Reviews

For the past four decades, a group of writers and directors, of film and television, have met for an informal lunch every other Wednesday. Over the years, the attendees have changed as have the meeting locales, with this day's get together at Factor's Famous Deli.

Many of the men you can see are physically aging, and several of the attendees have passed on since the filming of the documentary, thus the youngest of the group John Rappoport half-jokingly states he's been named the "designated cane" of the group. However, the minds of these legends are laser sharp, as they tell jokes, spin witty stories, and gently kibbitz with one another.

This is not a "can you top this" environment, as it's more laid back and friendly than anything else. There are also side interviews, away from the lunch table, where these brilliant men can relate some fascinating tidbits form their lives and careers.

The director of the film, Donna Kanter, has given us a light-hearted, interesting, and humorous movie that I enjoyed, as I was sitting and eating lunch with these legends.

For the last 40 years, a group of elderly comedy writers and entertainers have gathered to have lunch every other Wednesday. There are some legends and old-timers from various aspects of entertainment. They tell jokes, reminisce about old times, and remember fallen comrades. Monty Hall talks about his history starting from Winnipeg. Arthur Marx talks about his father Groucho. Arthur Hiller talks about his directing most memorably about Paddy Chayefsky. Sid Caesar is a bit frail but he's still very present and does do his foreign language bit. There are quite a few jokes, discussion about Jewish humor and some Irish humor. This is simply a great fly-on-the-wall documentary. Their speech may be a little bit halting now but they are still very sharp.

I really enjoyed this film. These men are creative geniuses and it was great to see them all in one place having a good time. Some of my favorites from these writers include: MASH, Different Strokes, The National Lampoon films. So it was great to hear them reminisce about those times. The film not only has footage from the restaurant conversations but also feature one on one interviews with each of the writers. Which I really liked a lot. The personal stories of how they came to be writers, to their stories of their family life. It was all very interesting. I recommend this film to anyone who loves classic TV and movies, it's also just interesting to see how these creative minds think.

Lunch is a great documentary. It has famous Hollywood writers in one place sharing stories, from their personal life (like Arthur Marx talking about his relationship with his father Groucho Marx) to what was going through their head while writing those classic sitcoms (like MASH). These writers have lots of memories. I loved hearing them. It's nice to hear the story of how they formed this special lunch group. They each feel honored to be part of this lunch. I feel like it's a privilege for the rest of us to be part of it through this film. I love watching TV sitcoms and watching movies at home. If you are like me and are a fan of good TV and movies, you will enjoy watching this film.

It's almost impressive that a movie with such a simple premise (old Hollywood icons gather for a bi-weekly lunch) can end up this shockingly uneven. It's barely a movie; in fact it's more akin to listening to your great-grandpa tell a long-winded, aimless, repetitive story. I'm honestly not even sure how to approach it as a piece of media; it jumps between tones, themes, ideas and focuses with no concern for its audience.

These old guys are a lot like my grandpa, they meet up together at the same place for lunch once a week, and they talk. They converse about current topics, family, and how they are being left behind by new trends in culture. The big difference however is that they are not farmers, they are basically the inventors of comedy. I wish there was a diner near by full of old funny guys like these, I would go there all of the time. I am a huge fan of comedy, and it was really quite fascinating learning a lot of behind the scenes information about some of my favorite films and television shows. Hearing these guys talk about there glory days is quite compelling, because though they may be past tier primes, they still continue to do what they love and are still honing and perfecting their craft.

I'm a TV junkie, so I grew up on all these fabulous shows. All of my favorite TV writers are in this film, from Arthur Marx (Alice, Maude), to Hal Kantor (All in the Family). It was great listening to Ben Starr talk about the idea behind Mister Ed, how it was important to create a horse character that both adults and children could relate to. I love all the projects that Carl Reiner has been a part of (especially The Jerk) but I had no idea that he was also a writer of children's books. They've got to be awesome. These truly talented gentlemen understand, as long as your brain is kept active, there's plenty of living to be done. If you love TV as much as I do, this is a great film to watch.

"Lunch" is a documentary of a bunch of legendary comedy writers who have a weekly bi-weekly lunch at Factor's deli in Los Angeles. They meet talk about politic, talk about the past and give each other a hard time. In between the filmed footage of the lunch each member is interviewed and their back story is flushed out and their current situation is examined. This was my favorite part of the film. It was kinda sad watching these legends of comedy struggle to find traction in a modern world that has determined them to be over the hill. The great thing is these aren't the type to mope, they get up dust of the computer and continue to write. A must view for anyone who loves the classic comedies. I throughly enjoyed this film!

I live for comedy. A good laugh gets me through the day and I love it how a funny guest can liven up any party. The documentary "Lunch" is like having a dinner party with some of the most lively, entertaining guests imaginable. "Lunch" follows a group of legendary comedy writers who meet for lunch every other week in Los Angeles. At easch lunch they discuss the old days, current events and what its like being old. Each subject is handles with wit and grace and each member is interviewed and their current situations are shared. The documentary breezes by and I was left wanting more. This documentary is a must for any fan of classic TV. You won;t regret it.

I really, really loved listening to all the classic Hollywood stories in "Lunch." It was like having a seat at the most exclusive table in town! Legend after legend tells stories about how the made in showbiz, and they also have some thoughts on modern comedy as well! I especially loved listing to Carl Reiner's stories. I have always been a fan of "The Jerk" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" so it was really cool to listen to him share some insight. There were also some sad parts as well. Tales of lose and tales of trouble getting work are told, and even though it's sad seeing these legends struggle their work ethic is inspiring and mad me think that maybe I shouldn't complain so much!