This Netflix comedy special will be available to view on May 19th (netflix.com/pattonoswaltiloveeverything).
I’ll admit that it’s a bit difficult to review a stand-up comedy special, given that a performer’s style may be hilarious to one person while not striking the funny bone of another. However, with current entertainment options for review still being limited, I’ll do my best to give readers a sense of what they can expect from anything new coming your way. In this case, the program is Netflix’s Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything, which features the famous comedian delivering jokes to a live audience in Charlotte, North Carolina.
This reviewer is very familiar with the speaker’s style, delivery and subject matter. For those unfamiliar with Oswalt, his material frequently includes stories from his life that reveal personal observations and revelations, as well as a hearty helping of pop culture references. While there are still nods to various franchises like Star Wars present in this special, it does feature less of those asides. Instead, the focus is on how Oswalt’s life and priorities have changed after turning 50. The stage backdrop, which includes a façade of a Californian home, establishes this theme as the performer steps out to start his set.
As expected, the stories delivered describe some very unusual experiences. Most of it is incredibly entertaining, with some bits coming across as particularly hilarious. Early on, Oswalt tells the audience about buying a home and the unexpected upgrades required. This leads to the hiring of sub-contractors and an entertaining discourse involving the odd behavior of one of the workers… as well as the tolerance required on Oswalt’s part to get the best possible results from these eccentrics. Another, darker standout involves his time working as a budget-friendly DJ in the 1990s and how some bad experiences were all rationalized by his boss.
Yet if I were to pick a couple of favorite moments, one would involve the resolution to an argument that Oswalt has with his spouse. The bit almost brought tears to this reviewer’s eyes. Another enjoyable tale involves a trip to Denny’s with his daughter. The quick meal ends up inspiring a study and analysis of the unusual clientele at the restaurant during off-hours and what may have brought some customers to this specific crossroads in their lives. Again, it’s another series of hysterical jokes sure to result in laughter.
Viewers may note that a second “episode” is available to stream after the special. As the comedian explains to viewers after the credits, this bonus is a 53-minute set performed by Bob Rudin, one of the Oswalt’s stand-up heroes. Rubin’s delivery is quite different from Oswalt, with a series of wide-eyed, manic, stream-of-consciousness rants about various subjects like job prospects for Olympic athletes, as well as yarns from his past about his drug use (including a trippy story about being pulled over by police while in possession of acid). For some, his aggressive style will take some getting used to, but there is plenty of funny and astute commentary found within.
In the end, Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything may be focused more on the trials of turning 50 than it is on pop culture jokes, but it provides plenty of funny stories over its running time and serves as an amusing stand-up set for anyone in need of a humorous escape. And due to the subject matter, it may even be more accessible to those who aren’t up on their Star Wars references. If you enjoy the comedy of this particular artist, then this latest effort is most certainly worth your while.