Are We Good? Review: Marc Maron’s Documentary Offers an Intimate Look at Comedy and Vulnerability

Marc Maron has never shied away from self-examination. His podcast and stand-up have mined his anxieties and failures for years.

Are We Good? takes that vulnerability and puts it on screen in ways that feel both revealing and carefully curated.

The documentary follows Maron through a particularly turbulent period in his life. Director Lynn Shelton (who passed away before completing the film) captures him at his most unguarded. We see him grappling with relationships, career frustrations, and the perpetual question of whether he’s actually grown as a person.

What makes Are We Good? particularly interesting is how the film sometimes seems at odds with itself.

Shelton appears to want one kind of documentary while Maron seems to want another. The director pushes for raw, observational moments. Meanwhile, Maron occasionally performs for the camera in ways that feel protective.

That tension could derail a lesser film. Instead, it becomes part of what makes Are We Good? compelling. You can feel the push and pull between artist and subject, between revelation and self-preservation.

For the most part, this dynamic works in the film’s favor. The moments when Maron lets his guard down feel earned rather than manufactured.

The documentary does excellent work making Maron’s life feel sympathetic without excusing his past behavior.

We see him acknowledge his failures in relationships and his struggles with addiction. He doesn’t ask for forgiveness so much as try to understand what went wrong.

There’s a particularly moving sequence where Maron visits his childhood home. The camera lingers on his face as he processes old memories. It’s the kind of moment that could feel manipulative, but Shelton’s restrained approach keeps it grounded.

The film also captures Maron’s creative process in fascinating detail. We watch him workshop jokes and navigate the business side of comedy. These scenes provide context for why he is the way he is.

Cinematographer Benjamin Kasulke deserves significant credit for the film’s visual language.

The documentary looks gorgeous without feeling overly polished. The camera work finds beauty in mundane settings like Maron’s garage or local coffee shops.

The film moves between past and present seamlessly. It creates a sense of time as circular rather than linear, which mirrors Maron’s own tendency to revisit old wounds.

The soundtrack choices are mostly on point. They underscore emotional moments without overwhelming them.

Despite its intimacy, Are We Good? leaves you wanting more in some ways. There are relationships and incidents that get mentioned but never fully explored. You can sense Maron (and perhaps the filmmakers) pulling back from certain topics.

This isn’t necessarily a flaw. However, it does mean the documentary feels like one chapter rather than the complete story. We still don’t know the whole picture of who Marc Maron is.

That ambiguity might frustrate viewers looking for closure or definitive answers. Then again, maybe that’s the point. Real people don’t have neat resolutions.

The film’s willingness to sit with uncertainty is actually one of its strengths.

Are We Good? doesn’t try to redeem Maron or condemn him. It simply presents him as a complicated person trying to figure things out.

There are moments when the documentary stumbles slightly. A few sequences feel repetitive, and the runtime could probably be tightened. Some interview subjects don’t add much beyond what we already know. These are minor quibbles in an otherwise strong film.

Are We Good? succeeds because it trusts its audience to draw their own conclusions.

Shelton and her team have crafted a documentary that feels honest about its own limitations. It acknowledges that no film can fully capture a person.

Maron comes across as self-aware but not entirely self-assured. That vulnerability makes him relatable even when his behavior isn’t admirable.

The documentary works both as a character study and as an examination of comedy itself. It explores how comedians process pain and why that process matters to audiences. The film asks meaningful questions even when it doesn’t provide easy answers.

If you’re already a Maron fan, this documentary will deepen your appreciation for his work. If you’re unfamiliar with him, it serves as an engaging introduction.

Either way, Are We Good? is well worth your time.

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