Albert Brooks’s film epitomizes his singular voice in the varied comedy landscape of the 1970s.

A great idea. But the movie that Albert Brooks has made from it, alas, gets most of its laughs in the first 10 minutes, slides into a long middle stretch of repetitive situations and ends on a note of embarrassing hysteria.

While the fictitious Albert Brooks takes us cheerfully into his confidence, the Albert Brooks behind the camera sees through him with hilarious clarity.

In a lot of ways, Real Life was ahead of its time, especially when you consider the wide range of reality TV over the last 25 years.