Clear History (2013)

A must-see for Larry David fans, this HBO movie about a marketing executive who loses billions over a hissy fit is probably a must-miss for those who dislike Mr. David's brand of humor. David reprises many of his usual gags but Jack and I, who are fans, didn't mind at all. You may have seen the poster of David (covered in Whatever Works) in long hair and a beard. On a talk show recently, he admitted that, although it may have made more sense for his character to start with short hair and end up with long when making a new life for himself, he asked to have short hair in the "new life" so he wouldn't have to spend so much time in wigs and contacts. Also familiar to fans is J.B. Smoove (a regular on Curb Your Enthusiasm, last blogged in We Bought a Zoo, and then mentioned for his cameo in The Dictator) and his accusing David's character of racism. Jon Hamm (most recently in Friends with Kids) plays it straight as usual as the object of David's ire, Kate Hudson (last in Nine) is adorable as Hamm's wife, and Michael Keaton (my favorites include Night Shift (1982), Mr. Mom (1983), Gung Ho (1986), Beetlejuice (1988), Clean and Sober (1988), Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), The Paper (1994), Multiplicity (1996-LOVED it), Jackie Brown (1997), and Toy Story 3) and Bill Hader (last in Men in Black III) are hilarious as deranged accomplices in the hijinks. Danny McBride (This Is the End), Eva Mendes (The Place Beyond the Pines), Amy Ryan (Jack Goes Boating), and the band Chicago all figure in as well. Set mostly on Martha's Vineyard, it was actually shot in various gorgeous northern Massachusetts locations.

Director Greg Mottola (Adventureland) works from a script by David, Alec Berg, David Mandel, and Jeff Schaffer (the latter three all worked on The Dictator, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Seinfeld, and each has individual comedy credits). But, in another usual Larry David practice, much of the dialogue is improvised.

Ludovic Bource, who won an Oscar for the jaunty music of The Artist, provides jaunty music here that will also remind you of the theme from Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Because this is a TV movie, rottentomatoes doesn't give an average for audiences, only for critics at 56%. With my only quibble being the title--"Clear History" suggests that computers are integral to the plot and they are not--we still enjoyed it a lot.