The triumphs and tragedies of comedian Richard Pryor's life are the subject of Marina Zenovich's documentary, which explores Pryor's genius as a comic artist while also bluntly surveying his phenomenally self-destructive experiences with drugs and personal demons. Pryor's childhood in a brothel as the son of a prostitute and pimp—he was famously raised by a violent grandmother, who ran the establishment—is covered in detail, along with his troubled years in the U.S. Army. Interviews with his numerous wives, business associates, and celebrities—including Whoopi Goldberg, Dave Chappelle, Lily Tomlin, and Bob Newhart—paint a portrait of a volatile but brilliant man with numerous allies who tried to protect him, both from his addictions and the brutal nature of show business. Co-writing the script for Mel Brooks's Blazing Saddles helped Pryor to get a foot in the door of Hollywood movies, but being subsequently rejected by the film's studio as a co-lead (opposite Gene Wilder, whom Pryor would later star with in hit comedies) sent him into a personal and professional spiral. More pitfalls would follow, as well as good times on screen and on stage (where he delivered devastatingly funny standup routines). But as Omit the Logic sadly illustrates, cocaine would come to cast a long shadow over Pryor's gifts and accomplishments. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include bonus interviews with Mel Brooks, Quincy Jones, Pryor's widow Jennifer Lee Pryor, and others (35 min. total), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a solid biographical documentary.] (T. Keogh)
Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
Magnolia, 83 min., R, DVD: $26.98, Blu-ray: $29.98, Feb. 3 Volume 30, Issue 2
Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic
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