Eating Raoul

Between the constant churn of new releases, Eating Raoul in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV is the comedy actually worth stopping for. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Paul Bartel is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on HBO Max Amazon Channel.

Eating Raoul arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The jokes in Eating Raoul land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. A prudish married couple feel put upon by the swingers living in their apartment building. One night, by accident, they discover a way to both rid themselves of the “perverts” down the hall and simultaneously realize their dream of opening a restaurant. The chemistry Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. It was released in 1982. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Eating Raoul holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Eating Raoul is a strong candidate. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Paul Bartel is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.

Eating Raoul was released in 1982, directed by and starring Paul Bartel. The full 87-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.