Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Lett Story
tighelandFor those across the pond from the friendly country of Canada, Richard Lett might be a name that is completely alien to you. It was to me, so before entering into Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Rett Story, I acquainted myself with some of his work. I’ll never not defend stand-up comedy as a form of performance art and an integral part of the theatre experience, and it’s always a pleasure to engage and discover someone completely new. After losing an hour or two to Lett’s superbly hilarious, clearly offensive material, it was time to dive into a documentary detailing his rise, fall, and second coming.
A directorial debut for documentary filmmaker Roy Tighe, Never Be Done is a touching story of reminiscence and retrospect through the eyes and words of the very man they document. A near decade in the making, we catch Lett at a low point in his life. Banned from comedy clubs all around Vancouver, struggling with addictions to drugs and alcohol, unable to pay his rent in time. It’s a painful experience to watch unfold, and as an audience, we’re powerless to help. Lett is such a truly likeable person, and his frank and honest discussion with the documentary crew about his spiral into addiction. The real issues plaguing Lett’s life are a true tragedy, and watching them unfold is an uncomfortable, but necessary viewing. The openness Lett’s brings to the table throughout this piece is eye-opening, a real shock to the system. We see him hit rock bottom and bounce back with an incredible amount of dedication.
What amazes me most is that, throughout the pangs of pain and suffering on show, Lett looks like a phenomenally talented comedian. Stuck on the underground circuit, toiling in a void of relative oblivion, he walks the line of former fame and dances around the cusp of obscurity. Never Be Done sets itself apart from other documentaries on stand-up comedians by showing the harsh underbelly of the business. For every killer show, there’s a heart-breaking story that makes you question whether or not it’s worth it after all. It’s Comedian for the underground comic fan, 25 Sets for the hardcore comedy nut. Never Be Done far exceeds both and sits atop the pile of documentaries catering to stand-up or comedians.
A gripping, moving documentary that brings such detail out of its story. It’s hard not to feel immense sympathy for Lett, and Never Be Done provides us with a fly-on-the-wall approach to an inspiring man and his story. Tighe’sdocumentary lives or dies on how much you like Lett, and in my case, he comes across as a wholly likeable man. Comedians interviewed for the documentary clearly have a lot of respect for his work, the snippets we’re shown from his work generally get a good grasp at Lett’s style of comedy and what fans of his can expect from his shows. Showcasing a man who finds himself going through the wringer, Never Be Done is an impressive, inspirational piece that details the life of a comic who finds himself falling out of love with the business, and himself.