This is a documentary in name but it is literally the story of television in America thanks to the simple love and brilliance of the two legendary stars, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Having been born in 1962, I've known about Lucy and Desi my whole life so I knew most of the innovations they brought to television. Especially Desi. But Director, Amy Poehler (a brilliant comic herself), shows us the very very flawed and human side of the two, which makes you love them both even more. With commentary from Carol Burnett, Bette Midler and Lucie Arnaz among others, this becomes a treatise on what makes comedy so simple to understand but so difficult to do.

This should be required viewing in every high school in the country for history or fine arts classes. I cannot recommend anything I've seen higher than this. Watch it for sure.

you will LOVE this documentary!

What a walk down memory lane with lots of side trips behind the scenes with LUCY and DESI. Unlike the Sorkin production from a few months ago, the Amy Poehler labor of love uses the famous couple to tell much of their story. We also get treated to home movies and clips of interviews not seen for many years.

Lending heart and insight to this project are Carol Burnett and Bette Middler. Carol and Lucy were great friends and performed together many times and Bette studied her and fashioned much of her comedic acting after Lucy’s style for being willing to do anything regardless of how it made her look. Both Desi Jr. and Lucy Arnez Luckenbill join the documentary with their own memories and comments adding another layer of gravitas.

Besides the vintage clips from the I♥️L show, there are a steady stream of television and movie stars, directors, producers and studio executives from the 20th century. Here, gathered together in this documentary, they become an historical treasure for the development of modern television. Lucy and Ricky were pioneers and groundbreakers.

So many tender and honest moments combine with their pains and triumphs giving a view of this iconic couple never seen before. This is a documentary not to be missed🍿

This documentary really hits different!
Most documentaries are like reading a history book just visual cues of information.
But with Amy Poehler's Direction, you could feel the emotions and be so submerged in their life moments. Lucy and Desy were more than "I love Lucy" their incredible contributions to comedy and the industry were like no other. Just incredible Pioneers. Legends. And this documentary captures that!

This was very well done. The one by her daughter (several years ago) went into more detail about their personalities and their extended families, but this was an excellent summary--except for a little gratuitous feminism thrown in here and there which certainly did not come from either Lucy nor Desi. (Lucy would certainly tell the truth about her work experiences, but she was not into victimhood.)

In all that I have seen, there is one point that has been lacking curiosity.

They did get remarried in the Catholic Church, but that was because of Lucy's in-laws worrying that their problem having children might be because the marriage had never been blessed. But other than that, religion apparently played no part at all in their lives--despite Desi's religious upbringing. Desi womanized, and could not understand Lucy's objections: he said (in his book) that it was accepted in Cuba for a rich man to have a couple different families. Well it should NOT be accepted. Lucille did not seem to be pursuing holiness. (Although she did not have the same--very public--problems as he, and their kids had problems--although they were not mentioned in this documentary). You think it might have occurred to somebody that there could be a better way to live.

They fascinate us so much because they both were such amazing trail breakers. Icons.

This doc showed that Lucille Ball was so much more than an actress but mostly that she was truly a pioneer for women. My favorite point in the doc was when she was being interviewed and the host was in the audience touching the arm of an audience member wearing an "I Love Lucy" t-shirt. Lucy told him "Take your hands off her. I can read the t-shirt..." It was beautiful example of someone being simultaneously very serious and very funny. In so many interviews later in her life, she seemed almost curt and the exact opposite of funny and in that scene I understood more clearly why. She was resisting one form (of many forms) of masculinity that we nowadays label as toxic. In so many ways depicted in this film, she was a trailblazer more than I had ever realized.

No offense to the cast and crew of the fictional Lucy/Desi love story, but they simply can't hold a candle to the real McCoy. Excellent from start to finish, you'll be glad you watched this doc and just might shed a few tears along the way.

You will love the story... the history... the grit... and the love of two souls who came together to make one Love story /life and to become happy part of so many' of my good memories. Very well done Amy and team. May this documentary be a tribute of what can be possible if you work hard, love hard and play hard! May they RIP and I can only hope that they are bringing tears of laughter to all of those I love and are now in their company in heaven.

i loved this documentary and it delivered all that was promised by other reviewers; plenty of laughs along with heart-felt tears.
one thing really struck me, and that is how the entertainment industry has changed; seeing both of lucy's acceptance speeches for the emmy award, i was touched by her humility and genuine delight and surprise in receiving the honor.
what a sharp contrast to the 'talent' of today, who show no humility, and who seem to have forgotten that their business is to entertain, preferring instead to preach to and educate their inferiors (that would be all the rest of us) in how to think and behave.
i can't imagine spending $$ to go to a movie these days, and would just as soon stay in and watch reruns of this great old show and others like it, when comedy was genuinely funny, movies and television didn't have an agenda, and families could enjoy watching together.