Public Speaking

What can say a person who has left herself out all technical mambo jumbo about modern Internet lifestyle. She's stuck in a past and isn't infected with twitters and facebooks. She's full of fresh ideas, but she's also a machine gun mouth chatter and pretty full of herself. Scorcese was clearly idolizing her. But the same time document was self-ironic for itself. It was only partly amusement to follow.

Because Scorsese is not a Continental sophisticate like Malle, but an American boomer pop artist, Lebowitz's forays into ideas and history are not his forte.

An entertaining introduction to a lady I knew nothing about, but now would like to hear more from. Ingredients include intelligence, wit and wry humility.

Fran keeping it real.

A must for anyone with more than a passing interest in actual culture and real intellect. Of course Fran Lebowitz's contribution to the film is more interesting than Scorsese's. It could not be any other way.

Interesting woman, but I only think it was good because Scorsese directed it...

ronseal

Sorry Marty, she ain't that interesting. A movie about such an uninteresting cunt that it almost tarnishes Martin Scorsese's career for me. Why the fuck did you find this disgusting human worthy of being documented?

"We catch only glimpses below the surface of this whirlwind of wit as Scorsese steps out of the way and lets Lebowitz herself run the show." - Lauren Wissot

This is an entertaining look at a scathing social critic seemingly lost in a certain place and time, but I'm disappointed in this documentary's inability to probe what I suspect is a mountain of insecurities.

It's certainly a study of Lebowitz but also by expansion one of a city, and a scholarly culture, that has been severely thinned over the last thirty some years, apparently not for better. The grimy, vigorous, violent city that worked as Scorsese's inspiration is now dead, Lebowitz proposes, maybe accounting for why Scorsese finds little stimulation there of late. What lingers, as per this film's cantankerous figure of interest, is a realm of high-priced real estate and ridiculous smoking bans.