Curb Your Enthusiasm - Series 1 (2000) DVD Reviews

Starring	Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin
Director	Andy Ackerman, Larry Charles
Genres	Comedy, Television

Most helpful members' reviews (3) of Curb Your Enthusiasm - Series 1
View all
19 out of 19 people found this review helpful

Curb your doubts, and get 'Enthusiasm' immediately!!

Jeez, this is good. I've been meaning to get around to Curb Your Enthusiasm for quite some time, having read a glowing report in some American magazine. But I won't kid you, Curb will need a little work on your behalf. Which, I guess is testiment to it's depth. Hardly accessible like the standard sit-com, this is... well, the only way I can describe it is one parts One Foot In The Grave, to one part Woody Allen and Seinfeld (inevitably) - but all played utterly, utterly, and brilliantly straight (and without canned laughter). I watched the first episode, and didn't really get what all the fuss was about, but by the time I hit #2, I was hooked. If the Americans are doing themselves down, saying their mainstream humour could never allow dark, intelligent, and utterly belligerent comedy characters to evolve, like The Office's David Brent, then think again... because Curb is all of these things rolled into a style of its own. Presented in a lo-fi, Indy style, the action takes place in an America a million miles away from polished Friends or Fraiser studio audiences, and revels in the opinion that real life, and other people, are rubbish... or at best, over-rated. If you ever have anti-social thoughts whilst trying to navigate a crowded supermarket, full of pushy parents, screaming kids, and rude folk, then Curb Your Enthusiasm is the comedy for you! Truly brilliant.
- - Steve Day from London, UK
  - Posted 09 Sep 2004 09:07
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful

If you liked Seinfeld...

In fact even if you didn't like Seinfeld (which can only mean you didn't watch enough of them), you'll love this! Amazing ad-libbing by the actors and shot with one or two hand-held cameras (or at least made to look like that) this is one of the cleverest, funniest, darkest "sitcoms" ever. The episodes are linked and need to be watched in order through to the final episode where all the stories come together. Excellent!

And if you don't like it, please try and persevere - you'll love it by the end!
- - EdwardTheGreat from London
  - Posted 20 Nov 2004 23:43
8 out of 12 people found this review helpful

If you liked Seinfeld...

In fact even if you didn't like Seinfeld (which can only mean you didn't watch enough of them), you'll love this! Amazing ad-libbing by the actors and shot with one or two hand-held cameras (or at least made to look like that) this is one of the cleverest, funniest, darkest "sitcoms" ever. The episodes are linked and need to be watched in order through to the final episode where all the stories come together. Excellent!

And if you don't like it, please try and persevere - you'll love it by the end!
- - EdwardTheGreat from London
  - Posted 20 Nov 2004 23:44
Most recent members' reviews (2) of Curb Your Enthusiasm - Series 1
View all
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful

Woeful observation comedy

Riding off the back of the phenominal success of Seinfield the co-writer scores his own series.

It's woeful.

The format is a documentary like improv style that painfully drags your through scene after scene of staring at clueless smug american idiots.

Save yourself - rent something else.
- - Jim Frizz from Space man I always wanted you to go
  - Posted 23 Aug 2007 16:45
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

Cannot curb my enthusiasm...!!

Utterly superb. Larry is a legend. Every episode has fabulous human observations about modern life in LA or actually anywhere. Each story has a great set-up and exquisite symmetry. Sometimes you see it coming but that just makes the end-play even better.

Worth seven stars if they offered it.
- - MICHAEL G. from London W4
  - Posted 24 May 2006 14:16

19 out of 19 people found this review helpful

Curb your doubts, and get 'Enthusiasm' immediately!!

Jeez, this is good. I've been meaning to get around to Curb Your Enthusiasm for quite some time, having read a glowing report in some American magazine. But I won't kid you, Curb will need a little work on your behalf. Which, I guess is testiment to it's depth. Hardly accessible like the standard sit-com, this is... well, the only way I can describe it is one parts One Foot In The Grave, to one part Woody Allen and Seinfeld (inevitably) - but all played utterly, utterly, and brilliantly straight (and without canned laughter). I watched the first episode, and didn't really get what all the fuss was about, but by the time I hit #2, I was hooked. If the Americans are doing themselves down, saying their mainstream humour could never allow dark, intelligent, and utterly belligerent comedy characters to evolve, like The Office's David Brent, then think again... because Curb is all of these things rolled into a style of its own. Presented in a lo-fi, Indy style, the action takes place in an America a million miles away from polished Friends or Fraiser studio audiences, and revels in the opinion that real life, and other people, are rubbish... or at best, over-rated. If you ever have anti-social thoughts whilst trying to navigate a crowded supermarket, full of pushy parents, screaming kids, and rude folk, then Curb Your Enthusiasm is the comedy for you! Truly brilliant.
- - Steve Day from London, UK
  - Posted 09 Sep 2004 09:07
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful

If you liked Seinfeld...

In fact even if you didn't like Seinfeld (which can only mean you didn't watch enough of them), you'll love this! Amazing ad-libbing by the actors and shot with one or two hand-held cameras (or at least made to look like that) this is one of the cleverest, funniest, darkest "sitcoms" ever. The episodes are linked and need to be watched in order through to the final episode where all the stories come together. Excellent!

And if you don't like it, please try and persevere - you'll love it by the end!
- - EdwardTheGreat from London
  - Posted 20 Nov 2004 23:43
8 out of 12 people found this review helpful

If you liked Seinfeld...

In fact even if you didn't like Seinfeld (which can only mean you didn't watch enough of them), you'll love this! Amazing ad-libbing by the actors and shot with one or two hand-held cameras (or at least made to look like that) this is one of the cleverest, funniest, darkest "sitcoms" ever. The episodes are linked and need to be watched in order through to the final episode where all the stories come together. Excellent!

And if you don't like it, please try and persevere - you'll love it by the end!
- - EdwardTheGreat from London
  - Posted 20 Nov 2004 23:44
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful

You'll either love it or hate it!

I loved Seinfeld, and was perplexed that some of the people I met didn't. I was quite happy to stay up and work around the BBC's ludicrous scheduling. I came upon CYE quite by chance, and what a joy it is, providing you get it. If you like your comedy to be non offensive and politically correct, give this a miss, go an watch something bland. This is for grown ups who have a well developed sense of humour. Larry David and his friends must have such a ball making this stuff. So if you like sharp, eclectic, intelligent, farcical, and above all, funny comedy, this just 'has' to be seen as part of your life's education.
- - A customer from Deepest Devon
  - Posted 05 Apr 2005 17:58
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful

Comedy Genius

Larry David stars as himself in what I can only describe as the best American comedy I have ever seen. Cover your eyes and cringe as he gets himself into more and more trouble - although he can't actually understand what he's done to deserve it! Lots of bad language and lots of laughs.
- - Joanne M from Merseyside
  - Posted 05 Jul 2004 21:23
6 out of 9 people found this review helpful

Is the guy that wrote the comment above INSANE?

This is amazingly funny and I speak as someone who never really got into Seinfeld.

This is classic farce with a post modern twist. The each epidoses interwoven storylines are worked out with a Faulty Towers like brilliance. Long running gags that start early are embellished throught the full 10 episodes and become much the funnier for it - the constant upsetting of Jeff's parents is a particularly good example.

What can I say - if you think 'Shanghai Nights' is funny you're gonna hate this but thankfully there's only one of you.
- - homme from London
  - Posted 18 Nov 2004 09:21
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

Just watch it

Aside from some shaky acting at the start of the first episode this is the most satisfying series I've watched in years.

Larry David is a loveable grouch who slouches his way through various human interactions only stopping to argue and gesticulate wildly.

It takes a while to get used to the filming style but once I got familiar with the characters everything came together and I couldn't wait to see what happened next.

The best aspect of the show is how several different actions and their subsequent results always converge to screw up Larry's life.

Brilliant visual karma - he's gets what he deserves. You deserve to watch it.
- - B Cooke from London
  - Posted 25 Nov 2004 10:55
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

Original

I was very cynical about Curbs, but it has turned out to be one of the most intelligent, quirky shows I have ever seen. It seems not to be scripted which simply adds to the brilliance...

Larry is a hilarious character and it feels very in-depth at first.

(alas there is a formula to it and its well covered so not to obvious)

A MUST for the experienced comedy mind
- - A customer from London
  - Posted 16 Mar 2005 09:54
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

Best comedy out there!

Everyone i have shown this to loves it with a passion, MORE MORE MORE!!! LOVE IT!
- - A customer from crewe
  - Posted 20 Sep 2006 01:38
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful

If you liked Seinfeld...

In fact even if you didn't like Seinfeld (which can only mean you didn't watch enough of them), you'll love this! Amazing ad-libbing by the actors and shot with one or two hand-held cameras (or at least made to look like that) this is one of the cleverest, funniest, darkest "sitcoms" ever. The episodes are linked and need to be watched in order through to the final episode where all the stories come together. Excellent!

And if you don't like it, please try and persevere - you'll love it by the end!
- - EdwardTheGreat from London
  - Posted 20 Nov 2004 23:46