"But in Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! Judd Apatow dutifully and affectionately celebrates the laugh-filled life of a comedy legend who's still here to tell the story - and the jokes - himself. One of the cleverest tricks by directors Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio is playing some of Brooks' stories - like a memorable lunch with Cary Grant - across not just his sit-down interviews with them, but over multiple talk show appearances."
"But the losses that add up in Brooks' life never outstrip the laughter. You're left wondering if Brooks is one of the funniest people to ever live, or one of the wisest. "Comedy is lively. Comedy is joy," he says. "And that's what keeps us going. We have to look forward to little happinesses, little joys." 'Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!' begins streaming on HBO Max on Jan. 22, 2026."
Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio celebrate Mel Brooks with a film that stitches his long-running stories across interviews and talk show appearances. Brooks repeats decades-old jokes and remains a nonstop performer whose public schtick sometimes blurs with his self. The film includes appearances by Rob Reiner and David Lynch, and notes losses that mark Brooks' long life without overwhelming the comedy. Brooks frames comedy as lively and joyful, anchoring resilience in small pleasures. Anecdotes include a newborn Brooks mistaking a doctor's smack for applause and Brooks calling himself 'a coalescence of vapor.' The film begins streaming on HBO Max Jan. 22, 2026.
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