Leave it to a New Yorker and capable filmmaker such as Martin Scorsese to capture the essence of Fran Lebowitz's sardonic New York humor. Animated, opinionated and anything but bashful, Lebowitz is much fun to watch. The film contains one central interview with Lebowitz, into which Scorsese weaves past interviews with her as well as with other relevant personas. You can see Scorsese’s back in some of the over the shoulder shots, shaking with laughter at some of Lebowitz's witty answers to the interviewer. He obviously enjoyed making this HBO documentary.
The question I was left with though is if Lebowitz and people like her are still relevant? At one point in the interview she pokes fun at the new media and the manner in which viewers and people on the sideline are receiving central stage in the age of Twitter and Facebook. She obviously doesn't approve of it as she is not shy about stating that her opinion is second to none. Though the film is titled Public Speaking it seems to be almost ironic in a period where the new generation text each other even when gathering face to face. Ultimately Public Speaking leaves one with the feeling Lebowitz stands alone, like a dinosaur, amongst the last of her kind.