If you don’t know who Andy Kaufman is, then you’ve probably been living under a rock, or never were a fan of comedies. While Kaufman may have been a polarizing figure, for better or worse, he is arguably on the Mount Rushmore of comedy, and that is a simple fact no one can deny, regardless of your opinions on the man behind the comedy or his personality whether that be a persona he put on or something he truly believed in. Director Alex Braverman doesn’t shy away from all aspects surrounding Kaufman in his documentary Thank You Very Much, and while the documentary does focus on all of Andy’s life, it feels like a more expansive version and companion piece to Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017).

Tony Clifton in the documentary THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Photo courtesy of Drafthouse Films.

While Kaufman has been explored exhaustively previously, Thank You Very Much may not provide a ton of new insight but the way Alex Braverman brings forth this information is more linear and focused on the life of Andy Kaufman from beginning to end. While both Man on the Moon and Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond explored Kaufman’s life and the latter of how Carrey got into the role of Kaufman, Thank You Very Much takes everything we already know and presents it clearer and without bias. While this may not present totally new information about Kaufman, its companion like nature to both Man on the Moon and Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond in its information and presentation.

Danny DeVito in the documentary THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Photo courtesy of Drafthouse Films.

There has been another documentary on the legendary comedian, Andy Kaufman, in recent years that focused on how Jim Carrey (In Living Color) embodied the larger-than-life star while making Man on the Moon (1999), exposing and revealing things about Kaufman to someone who wasn’t aware of his antics and personality off screen. While Jim & Andy focused on how Carrey got into the mind of and role of Kaufman in Man on the Moon, Thank You Very Much dives more into Taxi (1978-1983), Saturday Night Live (1975 – present), his wrestling shenanigans (Jerry “The King” Lawler has famously stated he did not like Kaufman and typically doesn’t expand on this). While Kaufman certainly had personality, it was that same personality that nearly ended his career and made him such an unlikable figure despite audiences being unable to resist his comedic charm and timing. He truly is a prime example of separating the art from the artist because, through countless interviews with co-stars and people who knew him, with the exception of Lynne Margulies, his longtime girlfriend, most people were slightly appalled at how Kaufman presented himself and carried himself. This begs the question that never seems to be answered (and in tune is eliciting a smile from ear to ear for Kaufman long after his death) that no one knows if his misogynistic and, frankly, off-putting persona was, in fact, a persona, or if Kaufman believed in what he was putting out.

One prime example that is shared in Thank You Very Much is near the end of Kaufman’s life when he was diagnosed with cancer, ultimately succumbing to his disease. One of Kaufman’s friends was convinced he was trying to get the last laugh on everyone, so when they attended his open casket funeral, they decided to poke him because they thought he was doing a shtick. The absolute undeniable insanity that has to cross one’s mind to think that your friend is doing a bit pretending to be dead after being diagnosed with cancer. It’s truly insane, but that was Andy Kaufman — a mad genius in every sense of the word.

Andy Kaufman in the documentary THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Photo courtesy of Drafthouse Films.

Thank You Very Much may just be the title of the documentary, but it is a double meaning for what this comedian/performer says after performing and a genuine thank you to one of the most chaotically ingenious minds that no longer walks this Earth. There is no denying Kaufman’s brilliance and role as a polarizing figure. While his personal politics and sentiments (again we still don’t know if this was a persona of the “bad guy” he put on or whether he truly embodied it) certainly make him a figure worthy of distain, there is no denying that his comedic presence is one that will be remembered for a life time and gave inspiration and birth to some of the best minds we have today. Kaufman preferred being the bad guy, he thrived off the hate (as evidenced by his wrestling stint), so him embodying the persona is possible, but with interviews from co-stars on Taxi like Danny DeVito (Taxi), it’s possible that was also somewhere embodied in Kaufman himself. Overall, Thank You Very Much explores all facets of Kaufman’s life, doesn’t hold its punches, and celebrates as much as it exposes about the person who was Andy Kaufman.

In select theaters and on VOD March 28^th, 2025.

For more information, head to the official Drafthouse Films Thank You Very Much webpage.

Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.

Categories: In Theaters, Reviews, streaming

Tags: Alex Braverman, Andy Kaufman, biography, Bob Zmuda, comedy, Danny DeVito, documentary, Drafthouse Films, Elara Pictures, James L. Brooks, Laurie Anderson, Lynne Margulies, Marilu Henner, Steve Martin, streaming, Thank You Very Much, Tremolo Productions, VOD, Wavelength