Review of Richard Pryor: Here and Now (1983) by Justin M — 19 Jun 2011

Probably Pryor's most engaging and energetic performance ever. If 'Sunset Strip' was him slowly finding his groove after becoming sober, this is him hitting the ground running. He finds his footing much more quickly here, firing off punchlines and throwaway quips with merciless precision.

He handles interuptions from the audience with wit and cool. His material covers familiar ground, yet he brings such fresh verve and passion to the jokes that he instantly pulls us in. Plus, he has lost none of his talent as a shrewd social observer and commentator.

The laughs, which are literally non-stop, range from giggles to belly laughs. It's a great concert film, one of the funniest I've seen.