Clear History (2013)
Director: Greg Mottola
Cast: Larry David, Michael Keaton, Bill Hader, Jon Hamm
What happens when you take a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, forget to trim the fat, and stretch it into a feature film? You get Clear History — and honestly? It's still kind of great, even if it refuses to be anything other than exactly what it is.
This week John and Sean dive deep into this 2013 HBO gem, requested by Patreon member Greg (host of You Can Eat That Crust and Pizza Bones), where Larry David plays a man who gives up a billion-dollar stake in an electric car company over a name, disappears to Martha's Vineyard, and plots revenge against the guy who got rich off his stupidity. You know — totally relatable stuff.
In this episode, we discuss:
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Larry David Playing Larry David (Again) — The guys break down why this movie is essentially an uncut Curb episode with a different character name slapped on it. Is that a bad thing? Is that a great thing? The answer is: yes, and also both.
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They Didn't Trim the Fat — A deep dive into what separates a tight 40-minute Curb episode from a 100-minute movie that wanders into dead spots. Spoiler: it's editing discipline, and this movie didn't have enough of it.
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Joe Stumpo Steals the Whole Damn Movie — Michael Keaton shows up playing the town drunk on Martha's Vineyard and absolutely runs off with every scene he's in. Sean makes the case that Keaton is the unsung MVP of this entire production, and it's hard to argue with him.
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“I Know There Aren't Any Women That Have It” — The guys land on the single funniest line in the movie, a throwaway bit about old bald guy fetishes and prison demographics that somehow perfectly encapsulates everything Larry David is as a comedian.
We Also Talked About:
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WWE Legends: Legion of Doom (Amazon) (Biography Special) — Sean watched the documentary on Hawk and Animal, and it goes places. Specifically: a deeply emotional story about a penlight on a fishing boat that Nikita Koloff somehow turned into a religious experience. You have to hear it to believe it.
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The Boys (Amazon) (Season Finale) — Sean finished the series finale and loved it. No spoilers, but he makes a pointed observation about a show that commentates on superhero movie culture while simultaneously spinning off into… more superhero content.
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Faces of Death (Amazon) (2026 Remake) — A surprisingly solid new take on the concept, reframed around a content moderator on a fake social media platform stumbling onto recreated snuff-style videos. Sean gives it half a hot dog and means it as a compliment.
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Magnum Opus (Ebay) (Youtube) (The Movie) — Directed by friend of the show Addison Bennick (Psycho Ape I & II), this DIY Jackass-style movie is a 20-year labor of love and John genuinely digs it. Available through Addison's eBay store — physically, like a lunatic, the way movies should be sold.
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Six Days to Air (Youtube)— The South Park documentary. John finally watched it. Trey Parker and Matt Stone spend most of the six days doing absolutely nothing, and it's riveting.
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Dead Man on Campus (Amazon) (1998) — Mark-Paul Gosselaar in a movie about two college kids trying to get their suicidal roommate to actually do it so they can pass their classes. Even by 1998 standards, John was a little stunned this got a theatrical release. No Jeremy Piven, though, so it edges out PCU.
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