It's very personal, hell I'd say intrusive, of the artist's personal life, but hey, it was made under Robert Crumb's permission. Zwigoff's careful direction gives us no **** as we learn the endearing highs and disturbing lows which colour the original comic life of "Crumb". This is a masterful example on how a documentary should protect its integrity without sacrificing entertainment quality.
More than just about R. Crumb, it about his brother as well. Who would think that the most interesting person in the film would NOT R. Crumb, but his brother instead?
The film is an extraordinarily complex, well-rounded and multileveled portrait of how Crumb got to be the way he is, as well as a tribute to how he was miraculously able to rise above his dysfunctional roots by putting his demons into his art. [16 Jun 1995]
This documentary zig-zags between being an inspiring story about a man using his uncompromised talent to garner himself acclaim to becoming a stripped-down look at the disturbed psyche that produced the images he drew. The movie brings up interesting points, such as the fuzzy line between pornography and art and the paradox of a creative mind getting commercial success. The movie also definitely doesn't leave anything to the imagination - all of the characters are stripped down to their most bare states (it's not surprising that his sisters both declined interviews). Absolutely fascinating.
Crumb, about Robert Crumb, is like a crumb! [Pun intended] Crumb tells exactly the story of Robert Crumb in his daily life like how he is today in life.
An interesting account about the life of an odd character known as R. Crumb which really does not do very much to suggest whether one would like him, or get along with him, if one were to meet him in the street or a coffee shop. He seems to dislike just about everything except his own art, and possibly old records. Who he might vote for I would not venture to guess.