This is the Tom Green Documentary

Like many in the entertainment business, Canadian comic Tom Green has managed to reinvent himself several times over throughout the course of his career. In his latest film, This is the Tom Green Documentary, director Tom Green looks at his life and career to date with commentary from his family, friends, and plenty of vintage footage.

After starting stand-up comedy and having a radio show while still in high school, Canadian Tom Green eventually parlayed his unique sensibilities (imagine a dadaist take on Candid Camera) into a public access TV show titled The Tom Green Show. Eventually, the show had aired on MTV for three seasons and became a hit, leading to Green having roles in hit movies like Charlie’s Angels and Road Trip. In the midst of his newfound fame, Tom Green had to readdress what was important in his life when he was given a diagnosis of testicular cancer. After hosting several versions of a late night talk show program, one of which was a live online call-in show way ahead of its time, Green’s latest venture is Tom Green Country, a reality series showing his new life on a farm land raising a donkey.

This is the Tom Green Documentary does a great job of establishing just how different pop culture was in the 1990s and how much harder it was for someone to create a show on video tape than it is in modern times with smartphones and YouTube. Despite being a director and the main subject of the documentary (early on, his mother Mary Jane Green opines “Aren’t you not supposed to do that?”), Green is thankfully willing to show that he’s flawed and has made mistakes. This is no self hagiography.

Part of works best here is Tom Green’s appeal as just a regular guy. This is especially noticeable when he reconnects with old friends and they reminisce about his rise to fame. One of the more rewarding anecdotes is Tom Green getting to guest host Late Show with David Letterman with less than 48 hours notice; Letterman’s absurd sketches were a fixture in forming Green’s comedy stylings, so to see him getting to host such a big show is both moving and humbling. The critical drubbing of his directorial feature film debut Freddy Got Fingered and less critical reappraisal is also covered in great detail, so expect “Daddy, Would I Like Some Sausage?” to get stuck in your head before the doc is over.

On some level This is the Tom Green Documentary is meant to promote his upcoming reality series Tom Green Country, but it plays that angle in a way that feels organic to the overall narrative and not too pushy. Fast-paced with a tinge of the melancholy at times, This is the Tom Green Documentary works as both a fun entry-point for newcomers and a thoughtful look back for die-hard fans.

This is the Tom Green Documentary is now streaming on Amazon Prime.