Clear History

Clear History ~ I stumbled onto this movie blind and with caution. Blind because I didn't know anything about it other than it starred Larry David and Jon Hamm. With caution because HBO movies, with very little exception, have been very bad to me in the past. Whether it's The Girl, Behind the Candelabra, or Phil Spector, it hasn't been all that pleasant. In the case of Clear History, this might be a new beginning.

The story is one of bad judgment and revenge, starring and co-written by Larry David, with all the style and idiosyncrasies of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." What a surprise. Larry David, at first in stealth mode looking very Unabomber-like, plays a man who jumps ship on a billion dollar electric car idea, then lives as a hermit under an assumed name after the world thinks of him as a total idiot. While he's hiding out in Martha's Vineyard a decade later his boss comes to live. With his new life at stake, LD plans his revenge.

Larry David is at his finest here. Michael Keaton is a surprise here, he's funny and even uses his Beetlejuice voice to good effect for the first time in decades. Liev Schreiber is good too, even though he's uncredited because of his contract with rival network Showtime. This is also the first time I have enjoyed Danny McBride in anything.

Clear History is a very good, very funny movie, recommended, especially if you're a "Curb" fan. Keep it up, HBO.