A personal portrait of the makings of art and culture can be revealing. Looking at the finished product, one can easily assume that everything came together effortlessly. The 2021 documentary The Beatles: Get Back gave us a rare look into the gruelling process behind the making of The Beatles’ 1970 album Let It Be . Despite being considered one of the greatest albums of all time, the documentary recontextualizes the struggle that most fans probably haven’t considered. In a similar vein, Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost explores the lives of Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller, who were not only a beloved comedic duo but also married and raised a family together. The documentary delves into how, despite their professional success, personal issues began affecting their day-to-day lives, pushing their partnership and marriage to its breaking point.
Seeing Stiller and Meara early in their career reveals why they were such a great pair, particularly in the beginning. They had different approaches to comedy that complemented each other beautifully. Stiller’s gentle and reserved nature evened out Meara’s bold and brash attitude. It is also worth noting that Jerry Stiller didn’t achieve widespread fame on his own until the late ’90s, when he got cast as George Costanza’s dad in Seinfeld and Doug’s father in King of Queens . This documentary does a great job of exploring how long it took for Stiller to get out of Anne’s shadow. While they performed together, she was the star, and he relied on her for much of the comedic success.
Their children, Amy and, more famously, Ben Stiller, who also directs the film, share their perspectives on having parents in show business. They discuss how it shaped their understanding of not only partnerships but also marriages. One of the most poignant moments in the documentary is when they recall their parents arguing. When Amy and Ben would check in on them, Anne and Jerry would simply say they were rehearsing. That caused the lines to blur between what was real at home and what was part of a routine. The documentary doesn’t hide the fact that they went to both individual and couples therapy, and their marriage was often on edge. Despite their success as a comedic duo, was it worth spoiling the love they had when they first met and started a family?
Ben is also candid about how he unknowingly began mirroring his parents’ work-life balance by often being away from his children to film overseas and working closely with his wife, Christine Taylor. This eventually led to their separation in 2017, before reconciling during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s incredibly eye-opening how close everything was to coming full circle before Ben realized and took steps to change them. Many people believe that life would be easier with talented and rich parents, but it’s refreshing to see a documentary to shows that the grass is not always greener on the other side.
Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost is an insightful documentary into the look at the personal and professional lives of famous comedians. Not only does it lift the curtain on the challenges of working in the entertainment industry with a partner, as well how they can have lasting effects on personal relationships.
