X
  • 2015
  • Not Rated
  • HBO Documentary Films
  • 1 h 23 m
  • 2015
  • Not Rated
  • HBO Documentary Films
  • 1 h 23 m

Summary The iconic cartoons of The New Yorker have become an instantly recognizable cultural touchstone over the past 90 years, and Leah Wolchock's intimate documentary offers an unprecedented glimpse into the process behind the cartoons. The film follows cartoon editor Bob Mankoff as he sifts through hundreds of submissions and pitches every we...

Directed By: Leah Wolchok

  • 2015
  • Not Rated
  • HBO Documentary Films
  • 1 h 23 m
  • 2015
  • Not Rated
  • HBO Documentary Films
  • 1 h 23 m

Very Semi-Serious

Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 8 Critic Reviews
74
User Score Available after 4 ratings
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Where to Watch

Summary The iconic cartoons of The New Yorker have become an instantly recognizable cultural touchstone over the past 90 years, and Leah Wolchock's intimate documentary offers an unprecedented glimpse into the process behind the cartoons. The film follows cartoon editor Bob Mankoff as he sifts through hundreds of submissions and pitches every we...

Directed By: Leah Wolchok

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 8 Critic Reviews
74
88% Positive
7 Reviews
13% Mixed
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 8 Critic Reviews
74
88% Positive
7 Reviews
13% Mixed
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
90
Nov 19, 2015
It's a very, very funny film but also sweetly sad and poignant, echoing the mix of humor and pathos that marks a New Yorker cartoon exactly what it is.
By Katie Walsh FULL REVIEW
88
Dec 10, 2015
Catnip for writers and humorists of all stripes, Wolchok’s film provides delightful breakdowns of various cartoons, examining the comedic rhythm of their design and detail.
By Matt Fagerholm FULL REVIEW
80
Nov 19, 2015
Buzzing attentively but not exclusively around cartoon editor Bob Mankoff, director Leah Wolchok strikes a pleasing balance between office minutiae and comic greatest hits; she gets enough face time with individual artists to please comedy nerds while keeping things wholly accessible to casual fans.
By John DeFore FULL REVIEW
80
Nov 19, 2015
If you’ve ever been curious as to how a cartoonist gets into The New Yorker and what happens then, Very Semi-Serious offers very satisfactory info.
By Glenn Kenny FULL REVIEW
75
Nov 19, 2015
With more than a hint of the magazine’s trademark insouciance, the film gives us a close look at how the selection process works and introduces us a to a handful of younger artists, as well as such stalwarts as George Booth and Roz Chast.
By Walter Addiego FULL REVIEW
70
Nov 19, 2015
A delightful if never particularly deep survey of an American comic institution.
By Scott Foundas FULL REVIEW
50
Nov 17, 2015
It doesn't seem to aspire to much more than proving that there are nice, talented people behind the New Yorker's walls.
By Christopher Gray FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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Details

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Production Company American Ninth Art Studios
Release Date Nov 20, 2015
Duration 1 h 23 m
Rating Not Rated
Genres
Tagline A partially thorough portrait of New Yorker cartoonists
Website http://www.verysemiserious.com/
View All Details

Awards

San Francisco International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
News & Documentary Emmy Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Chicago International Film Festival
• 1 Nomination

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