Clear History (2013)

Clear History feels like a breezy, wickedly observant hangout with Larry David’s comic sensibilities turned up just enough to sting—then soothe you with a laugh. Set against the postcard calm of Martha’s Vineyard, it mines the delicious contrast between polite small-town surfaces and the petty, very human grudges simmering underneath, all delivered with sharp timing and a cast that makes even the most ridiculous turns feel lived-in. The vibe is high-spirited and sly rather than sentimental, the kind of comedy that wins you over by committing fully to its own awkward logic. If you don’t enjoy Larry David’s particular brand of cringe, pettiness, and social friction, it may not convert you—but for fans, it’s an amusing, well-acted treat that goes down easy.

Clear History wants to be a Larry David-style cringe-comedy about reinvention and petty revenge, with a parade of recognizable faces and awkward social collisions. The problem is it often feels like a premise stretched to feature length: the plot moves characters around like chess pieces, but the big laugh payoffs don’t reliably land. If you’re expecting the sharp, relentless escalation of Curb Your Enthusiasm, you may find the tone muddled and the lead intentionally abrasive in a way that’s more grating than hilarious. Still, if you enjoy low-stakes, talky discomfort and can tolerate an unlikable protagonist for the occasional clever moment, it’s a mild, watchable time-killer rather than a must-see.