Life of Brian (1979) User Reviews

I Think God Has A Sense Of Humor, Don't You?

[Gazzer-2 · 8/10 · 1 April 2002]

And in the 1979th year of Our Lord, God took in a screening of Monty Python's "Life Of Brian," and thought it was funny.

He did NOT think the film was blasphemous or offensive in any way. Yea, God did admire it's incredibly clever pokes at religion and at religious fanatics, for God Himself knew the virtue of being able to laugh at one's self. He also knew before He even walked into the theater that the title character, Brian, was NOT Jesus Christ, but merely a man who was born at the same time as Christ---right next door, in fact---and became mistaken for a messiah. God settled into His seat, with popcorn in one hand and diet soda in another, and had a rollicking good time.

He recommended "Life Of Brian" to His Son, Jesus, who went to see it the following week. He, too, thought it was a hilarious film, and immediately sang the praises of the Monty Python troupe---John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam & Michael Palin---for creating such a wonderful spoof. And He recommended the film to His friends. Have an open mind, He told them, and have fun.

But God and His Son were quite puzzled why so many people in the Bible Belt community were so upset by "Life Of Brian"---especially the ones who hadn't even bothered to SEE the frigging film for fear of being damned for all time. And They both shook their heads in dismay. It's only a movie, They thought, and a very funny, harmless one at that. Get a life!

But God gave Monty Python's "Life Of Brian" the power to overcome such ridiculous adversity, and today, well over two decades later, the film is rightfully regarded as a comedy classic, and one of the Python's finest works. It's *still* not a film for everybody, but does it have to be? If you're in tune with the Python's style of zany comedy, you'll enjoy "Life Of Brian."

And praise be to Saint George Harrison, late of The Beatles, for lending the Pythons a hand in making this wonderful movie. :-)

A Masterwork of British Comedy

[j30bell · 9/10 · 20 December 2004]

In Life of Brian, Python created what John Cleese called simply "our masterpiece". As a piece of writing, it is the most impressive of the three feature length Python movies. The scenes remain episodic, but there is a much more coherent narrative than in the earlier Holy Grail – I loved HG too, but for different reasons. The characters (well about one or two of the characters) have acquired some subtle shading, which is rare in comedy and, alas, rare in British comedy in particular. The plight of Chapman's Brian is one that I really cared about (although his death is also extremely funny, upbeat and one of the truly iconic moments in British cinema).

The story must be fairly well known. Brian is born at the same time as Jesus with whom he leads a kind of parallel life, thus allowing the team to lampoon and satirise everything from religious zealotry and mob hysteria to 1950s biblical/sword & sandals epic cinema. It does this by marrying historic situations with more modern attitudes; thus we have revolutionary Stan who wants to be Loretta and have the right to have babies, the old man who can't understand why he's being stoned for saying simply "that piece of halibut was good enough for Jehovah!" the gruff centurion correcting Brian's Latin grammar while he's trying to daub anti-Roman slogans on a wall and the gentle centurion asking each of a line of the condemned "crucifixion? Good" while ticking them off on his clipboard. Interspersed with this is slapstick, pantomime women (I'm not sure there are any real women in Python, which is probably its greatest failing) and a small amount of the trademark Python surrealism (the spaceship, the "prophet" talking about the sons misplacing the things owned by their fathers who had placed them down only just a moment ago… etc). In short, something for everyone – except, perhaps, committed Christians.

A lot of attention has been paid to whether LoB is blasphemous. The Pythons claim not and I'm not sufficiently religious to care very much. On the surface, I disagree. There are also occasional sideswipes at ancient Jewish custom – although, to be fair, only stoning which, if you'll pardon the pun, might be considered a fair target. Jesus is not criticised, but the film's central message seems to be; be in the right place at the right time and even a man called Brian can become God. Almost the last line is from Eric Idle saying; "you come from nothing and go back to nothing" which doesn't suggest that the man on the mount at the beginning is a divinity, no matter whether he's talking sense or not.

Most importantly though, LoB is refreshingly satirical. There always was an element of this in Python (mediaeval Christian philosophy lampooned in the Holy Grail for example "this new learning amazes me Sir Bedevere, explain again how sheeps' bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes… so, if she weighs the same as a duck, she must be made of wood, and therefore - a witch". I guess LoB attracted attention because the satire had never been so bold or obvious before. This is also what makes LoB such an incredibly funny film to watch; but put it this way – despite what Rowan Atkinson may have once said – I'd be very surprised if the Python's weren't expecting the Spanish Inquisition.

That shouldn't put you off, though. Unless your faith is too weak to survive Python's gentle humanism, watch this movie – you'll probably love it.

one of the funniest films of all time

[framptonhollis · 7/10 · 1 January 2017]

Monty Python...do I even need to say more?

They were obviously some of the funniest people on the planet-British or otherwise, and this can clearly be expressed in their filmography, which also includes the beloved comedy classic "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". Personally, it's somewhat difficult for em to come up with which of their films is the finest and funniest-but I think it just might be "Life of Brian".

While the group has always had a satirical edge, "Life of Brian" is easily their most satirical work, as it mocks countless things in an extremely creative and entertaining fashion. The film is quite controversial due to it concerning religion, and injecting humor into subjects such as Jesus Christ's crucifixion, but it is more than just a film that mocks only religion. There are jokes throughout that satirize everything from political correctness to science fiction. It's a funny movie, and its targets are seemingly endless.

This is an inventive classic of comedy, filled with memorable and famous moments from start to finish.

One of the most intelligent comedies ever made

[gogoschka-1 · 10/10 · 16 December 2013]

Personally, I believe this to be one of the most intelligent comedies ever made. It might not appear that way at first because the film does have its share of simple slapstick and "naughty" moments, but generally, the topics the Pythons tackle here are very serious - albeit dealt with in a way that makes this a true contender for the funniest film of all time.

A firework of hilarious sketches, timeless quotes and clever comments on the human condition, this film was deemed too dangerous for the masses and therefore, until recently, banned in several countries (normally, this only used to happen to the so called "Video Nasties").

This film never once makes fun of Jesus (Christ) - but it DOES take the mickey out of blind, fanatic followers of any political movement or religion.

An outstanding achievement and endlessly re-watchable.

My vote: 10 out of 10

Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

'Do you find it wisible...when I say the name...Biggus...Dickus?'

[the_barnacle · 10/10 · 21 March 2019]

Famous lines from Michael Palin as Pontius Pilate...and also my favourite lines from this wondrous film. This is not a piece of criticism, just an exhibition of love. For those of you who believe that Holy Grail is better - I'm sorry to inform you that you're wrong. Life of Brian has such good consistent humour that really can't be beaten. The variety and range of characters the Pythons play is sublime. The chemistry they have with each of other is what makes the film work so well. I won't ramble on anymore because most of what I want to say has already been said!

Afterthought: Well, what is myrrh anyway?

Stunningly funny

[ptpenry · 10/10 · 11 February 2002]

One of my fave films of all time, this film has so many laugh-out-loud jokes and ridiculous thought processes that it would probably be unfair to pick out just a few. Tough - I'm going to: John Cleese as the legionnary Latin teacher rebuking Brian not for daring to use graffiti on the Roman fort but for using the wrong tense, Michael Palin trying to find his place in life as an ex-leper, Terry Jones as Brian's mother trying to protect him from myrrh - let's face it, we've all wondered what myrrh is ! The bit that always makes me laugh without fail is something that isn't always noticed - when Michael Palin is having a go at the guards; "Do you find it risible when I say the name of my friend Biggus Diccus ?" if you look carefully you'll see that Palin is trying really hard not to laugh.

Puerile, silly but also very very clever. This film doesn't criticise religion or Jesus in any way ( what was wrong with the people who tried to ban it ? ) - it's just asking what it could have been like in a society that was expecting the Messiah to show up at any moment, and covering it in a massive coating of comedy.

This film is an absolute classic - 10 out of 10.

I'm A Christian And This Is My Favorite Comedy Of All Time.

[filmbuff-05706 · 10/10 · 7 March 2022]

Monty Python's The Life of Brian is notorious for offending many Christians- especially at the time of it's release 43 years ago- despite many of these protesters being non-viewers. However, I'm a Christian and this is my favorite comedy movie. (Admittedly, my love for Bible-themed movies plays a factor in that.)

The plot follows Brian, a man who was born next to Jesus on the same night. As Brian gets older, HE is mistaken for The Messiah, which results in unwanted followers and accidental crucifixion.

While the film is clearly a satire on the Christian faith, and religion in general, there is actually less to be offended by then one might think. For one thing, this movie is not necessarily an attack on Jesus or His message. In fact, this movie is not really about Christ Himself.

He only appears twice in the film, once at the Nativity (the wisemen mistake Brian for Jesus and almost give him their gifts), and later in The Sermon on the Mount, where people far from Him mishear what He is teaching:

"Blessed are the cheesemakers? What's so special about the cheesemakers?"

"Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally, it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products."

The movie's intention is not necessarily to attack faith or make religious people change their mind, the message is to avoid BLIND faith. This is shown in a couple of well done scenes.

First, there is a scene where Brian, at his house, tells his followers that they are individuals. The crowd ironically agrees and says: "Yes, we are all individuals!" "You have to think for yourselves!" "Yes, we have to think for ourselves!"

In another scene, Brian can't convince his followers that he isn't The Messiah, so he gives up and says that he is, to which they all excitedly bow to him. Brian then shouts: "Now, F off!" to which one person replies: "How should we F off, oh lord?"

These scenes, while silly, do a great job of showing the movie's aforementioned message. While the Python crew are atheists, they don't seem to be making a movie saying: "Be an atheist, religion is blind." It's really saying: "Don't just believe because the crowd does." If you think through your faith and still believe, that's great, but make sure your personal faith truly is your own.

Apart from the message, the movie is of course very funny, and has many moments that have me laughing quite loud. Some jokes are quite offensive, but work within the context.

For example, early in the movie, Brian badmouths a Roman, and his mother sets him aside and admits that he is half-Roman. "Do you mean you were raped?" He asks, shocked. His mother then responds: "Well, at first yes."

It's the most messed up joke I've ever heard in a movie, but The Python crew manages to make it work within it's context- though of course no movie would have that kind of humor now.

The movie's opening credits also have a song that parodies the opening of a James Bond film, singing about how Brian grew up into a man. This includes this hilarious line:

"And his voice dropped down low, and things started to grow, on young Brian and show, he was certainly no...no girl named Brian! Not a girl named Brian!"

Speaking of songs, the movie concludes with perhaps the most famous song in Monty Python, Always Look On The Bright Side of Life. I just watched the movie for the 3rd time, and I played that song twice- it's that catchy. And it makes for one of the best endings in cinema history.

It's really hard to discuss why Life of Brian is such a great movie without getting into these spoilers. There are many funny and thought-provoking moments- this review barely scratches the surface. Hopefully, however, I have exemplified why this is the best comedy movie I have ever seen. It's one of the silliest yet provocative movies ever produced.

While some may find this film offensive (though this movie is targeting you if that's the case), Life of Brian makes for a great comedy with great laughs, a great story, and an interesting message on top of that. And that's more than enough to call this the best comedy movie I have ever seen.

Disgraceful depiction of the Popular Front.

[O'Hanrahanrahan · 11 August 2000]

For many years I have worked tirelessly to promote the aims of the Popular Front of Judea, and quite frankly I'm disgusted at its treatment of us. To depict us as a lonely old man is one of the most grotesque distortions ever commited to celluloid. We are at least three times that number, and furthermore we don't have a single repressed transexual among us. An absolute disgrace. I shall never watch this film again, unless I rent it out on video or see it on the TV in the near future. Vive la PFJ.

Don't crucify me, but I don't think it's that great.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 31 December 2007]

What I am about to write might upset some people. Hell, many comedy fans would even say that I was being blasphemous, but here goes...

Life Of Brian isn't THAT funny!

There, I've said it—even after multiple viewings, I still find the Life of Brian, Monty Python's tale of an ordinary man who is mistaken for the Messiah, to be rather disappointing as far as belly laughs are concerned.

Sure, it's a very quotable film, the sets and cinematography look great, and it certainly has a lot of valid things to say about the stupidity of religion and it's followers (who are, let's face it, often pretty stupid!), but I honestly feel that much of the movie's comedy just doesn't work, and actually feels rather laboured. I mean, is a speech impediment really THAT hilarious?

I'm not saying that I am not amused by any of the Python's silliness: there are definitely laughs to be had, particularly at some of the more absurd moments (after all, who can keep a straight face at the phrase 'wolf's nipples'?), but, with the complete adoration that Life of Brian receives from it's fans (particularly from students), anyone would think it was the second coming.

5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

Utterly hilarious from start to finish!

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 24 April 2010]

Life of Brian may have caused controversy on release, but this has always been my personal favourite of the Monty Python movies. Why? Because it is hilarious! True, the story isn't the best component of the film, but everything else works wonders. It is essentially an irreverent and inspired send up of religious epics, and is helped brilliantly by gags and a script that is so joyfully juvenile, if extremely rude, and quotable. Quotes such as "He's not the Messiah. He is a very naughty boy" and "Welease Wodewick" had me literally peeing my pants. The sets are realistic and all of the Pythons who here take several pot shots at their favourite targets, especially Terry Jones, Graham Chapman and Michael Palin are on top form. Overall, irreverent and hilarious, a must see! 10/10 Bethany Cox

Monty Python and the Search for Religion

[ryan_kuhn · 7/10 · 13 February 2005]

The British comedy troupe Monty Python had always been on the edge of controversy ever since their show "Flying Circus" appeared on the BBC in the late 1960s, but nothing had prepared the world for what Life of Brian had brought. In Life of Brian, the comedians go after the one institution that has always had trouble accepting satire: religion, specifically the Christian Church. Seen as blasphemous, Life of Brian needed an eleventh hour rescue for Beatle George Harrison to finish the film. The church was wise to wonder what the Pythons were doing. Life of Brian is filled with questions of the role of religion in society, why people often feel they need religion, and the age old question of "What would happen if the 3 wise men went to the wrong stable on that night they brought gifts to the young savior?" There is typical Python silliness throughout the movie, set up early where listeners at one of Jesus' sermons (held at "tea time," of course) think they hear that "blessed are the cheese makers." But the most important part of this film, and it's charm, are the questions of religion. No matter your faith, you will find scenes in Life of Brian unsettling, provocative, and humorous, possibly all three at once. While not wall-to-wall as funny as Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian is a humorous look at civilization's oldest and dearest institutions, and asks us to consider what we are doing.

Still one of the funniest films of all time.

[alice liddell · 10/10 · 13 October 1999]

It's impossible for me to be objective about this film. I know every scene and line by heart. Not because I'm one of those ghastly Python nerds, whose anal obsessiveness sucks the whole spirit out of everything they did, and actually misses the joke, which is on them; they are the perfect subjects for a Python lampoon. No. I only know LIFE OF BRIAN so intimately because I've seen it so often, it's still one of the funniest comedies I've ever seen, and persists in being hilarious despite familiarity, which, as in so much Python did, is the reverse of what comedy is 'supposed' to be made of (i.e. surprise).

Also, nostalgia value. MONTY PYTHON were my first heroes, before I even reached double figures. I gobbled up every programme, film and record in a space of a couple of short years, so they are bound up with a period of my life when I was very happy and hopeful, so I go all misty-eyed when I see it. Bizarrely, we were first encouraged to watch BRIAN by our Latin teacher, who felt it was very insightful about Roman society.

But no-one watches PYTHON anymore, except that dorkish clique. My brother, only a couple of years my junior, is as mystified now by my reaction to it as my parents were then. But surely BRIAN is a comic masterpiece in itself, accessible to anyone who found the very male, elitist, academic bias of the programme somewhat alienating?

How can I implore you to watch this? It's got a straight narrative, with some of the greatest set-pieces and dialogue of any film ever. It's not a great FILM comedy - Terry Jones is no Gilliam - but the style suits the humour perfectly, allowing it to breathe, and sometimes pulling off an extraordinarily evocative shot, such as when Brian and his mother are walking from Jesus' sermon, and squabbling about petty things like big noses, and the camera pulls back to a vast Judean wasteland, with a massive Roman statue being wheeled, and a set of crucifixes being planted: a marvellous encapsulation of a period in history.

This is the film's true triumph - it's a magnificent deconstruction of historical distortion. By paralleling the life of Christ with that of an ordinary little man, Python reclaim history from symbol and myth. It brings the body back into history. Its resolute rejection of divinity leads to a bleak, ironic conclusion (listen to 'Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life' carefully, and in context: it's NOT comforting) - the story of Jesus without redemption is ghastly.

The intelligence behind the juvenile gags is astonishing - the film is a learned commentary on power, totalitarianism, repression, language, gender, the writing of history, the politics of subversion, the complicity of the repressed. Myth is thrown to the wind - the film succeeds where Reg and his revolutionaries fail, by revealing a whole series of repressive apparatum (sic?). No-one is spared - the film is unashamedly destructive, but the film's satire is not arid or narrow; there are many rich parallels with our own time, as the extraordinary reaction from the religious on the film's release showed.

But BRIAN is not just an attack on religion, but on all who would seek to write selective histories for their own interests, suppressing others' voices. The silliest jokes are also the most profound - in one scene, the kidnappers enter Pilate's palace through a tiled floor. They emerge through a modesty-concealing leaf painted on this floor. This is snickering schoolboy humour, and very very funny, but is also a comment on the phallocentricity of imperialism. Jokes like these are why BRIAN will always remain vital - it turns you into a ludicrous, ill-informed amateur historian.

The acting is an astonishing feat of multiple performances, but Graham Chapman, always my favorite Python, holds the chaos together, ironically as the Kafkaesque hero who races towards the abyss, an anti-Jesus to love and identify with. If I've made the film sound like hard work, than I'm an idiot. The seriousness is only there if you want it. Like Alice in Wonderland, or Buster Keaton, PYTHON seem to be full of metaphors that encapsulate the pains of life, but are also damnably entertaining. It's strange that men as supposedly 'surreal' and 'out there' as the Pythons should speak such good sense. Only BRINGING UP BABY, THE PALM BEACH STORY, and MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, are funnier than this. Treasure it.

Now I know why these dudes are the comedic equivalent to the Beatles

[lakishaferguson21 · 7/10 · 6 May 2020]

My 1st Monty python flick this had me cracking up. It makes me want to c more of their collaborations, it's really interesting to see the earlier work of Cleese and Idle whom I'm a huge fan of.

Stupid and unfunny

[veinctor · 3/10 · 18 March 2021]

Who am I to speak ill of the legends? Just a viewer.

This is a classic that I wanted to see for a long time. I saw it and I didnt like it. Maybe I found 1 smart things in that movie. ANd maybe 1 joke made me laugh. But I found it to be a waste of time.

Also I didnt like the Monty Pythons King Arthur movie and the Congo movie. So I guess they are not for me. No hard feelings.

Life of Brian is Monty Python's greatest work

[waltersjon · 10/10 · 19 May 2019]

Life of Brian was radical at the time and it's still a great anti establishment and anti authority film. Which pokes fun at politics and religion and status. It's so funny and some of the scenes are so sharp with lots of historical in jokes. As someone involved in politics I particularly love the idea that Reg 'our glorious leader' can't go on the raid as 'he has a bad back' yet he's happy to martyr the rest of the team. And when they call for a meeting and pass motions it is as Judith says 'perfectly simple Reg' that they should just go and try and stop the Romans' 'nailing him up.' And Brian's success is greeted with shocked surprise and the announcement that 'we need doers in our movement' (unlike Reg). Another highlight has to be Reg asking 'what have the Romans ever done for us.' And as the film ends tunefully there's a message for us all 'Always look on the bright side of life.'

Ave Monty Python!

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 10 October 2005]

This is, in my opinion, the best religious movie ever made. Monty Python's Flying Circus knows how to do everything hilariously. Focusing on Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman), who gets mistaken for the messiah in Judea in 33 AD, the movie pokes fun at everything: Romans, Jews, imperialism, even extraterrestrials. With sardonic lines almost every minute, they play religious fundamentalism for what it is: silly. I don't even know which scene was my favorite; every part was so funny. You'll never forget the song at the end. This is comedy in its greatest form, and it makes sense that it would come from the guys who brought us the "parrot sketch". Absolutely a hoot.

Classic seamless comedy.

[pstancer · 10/10 · 14 January 2005]

This film is by far the best of the Python outings. It ranks as one of my favorite films of all time, which unlike 'The Holy Grail', hasn't dated with time but improves with repeated viewing.

The Pythons supposed take on Christianity, which caused outrage when it was first released (mostly by people who hadn't seen it), is actually a take on cults, both religious and political, and the people who follow them.

Brian, our hapless hero, is confused, horny, and constantly mistaken for the Messiah; who just happened to be born in the manger next to him. Brian just wants to be left alone, and to pursue his love for Judith, a member of the People's Front of Judea. Judith just wants the Romans to go home; but only after they've left the sanitation, the medicine, education, irrigation, roads, public order, etc., etc. ... oh and don't forget the wine!

Will Brian's love for Judith go unrequited? Will only the cheese makers be blessed, or does this refer to all manufacturers of dairy products? And just what have the Romans ever done for us?

It's subtle; it's anarchic; and it's possibly still banned in Norway. This is classic seamless comedy at its best. 10/10.

A Comment on Our Gullibility

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 21 December 2016]

This is such a fine movie. It involves a guy who was born just down the street in Bethlehem. The Magi go to him first and then realize they are confused and leave. He tries to lead a normal life, but word gets out that he is the Messiah. He does everything he can to get this off his back, but a group of followers begin interpreting his words as great wisdom and godliness. It gets so bad that when they are sent to check out "the other Guy" they ultimately find his pronouncement (actually non-pronouncements) to be much more impressive. There is a hilarious scene where he tries to make a statement about the Romans, but his Latin is so bad he is force to write it over and over on the walls, like an American schoolboy. The final scene is incredible. If you've never heard the song or seen the images, check it out. I would imaging there are some people who find this movie blasphemous. I consider it one of the greatest parodies ever produced.

A classic comedy that is rightly held up as the best of the Python films

[bob the moo · 24 January 2007]

Born in a stable, the infant Brian is mistaken for someone else until the wise men twig that they are in the wrong stable. Brian's life continues to be unremarkable until he is about 30 when he gets mixed up with the People's Front of Judea in their fight against the Romans (although he is only there to try and get in Judith). Unsurprisingly the actions of the PFJ don't exactly particularly succeed and Brian finds himself on the run from the Romans as a result. However while hiding out in speakers' corner he is first taken for a wise teacher but then for some sort of messiah – a mistaken identity that escalates out of control very quickly.

Watching the film now it is not really worth discussing whether this is mocking Jesus or not because the accepted wisdom is now that it is not an attack on Jesus but rather a lampoon on religion itself (although their original idea was to make "Jesus Christ: Lust for Glory"). However if it doesn't seem so controversial nowadays just imagine an Islamic remake and how that would be received. Anyway back to the film in hand rather than the reaction of people who have not seen it complaining about their perception of it. At its heart this is a Monty Python film and the sense of humour is very British and very much them. I say this rather obvious statement because despite the fuss the most memorable thing about the film is how funny it is. It will always be remembered for the controversy but when you watch it it is basically a collection of sketches and comedy characters rolling one after the other with many of them well-known and full of memorable and funny dialogue.

That it isn't just a collection of sketches held together (like some of their other films) is down to how good the story is. Of course they did have a bit of help with this in regards material to adapt but still it does feel much more satisfying to have this solid narrative underneath all the madness. Over time some people have come to seen this film as an entire attack on religion but it isn't because the laughs were the focus. However scattered across the whole film are scenes that do effectively lampoon the concept of religious beliefs and religious establishments. Most of these are very clever and, in particular, one scene sums up the history of religious splits and factions (the shoe and the gourd) and is impressive in its superficial simplicity.

It goes without saying that the cast are all on fine form. Although he wanted to play Brian, Cleese is much, much more effective in the many small roles he has and is best when he has petty authority figures to deliver. Of course similar things could said of all of the cast as Idle, Jones, Palin and Gilliam are all very good in their characters and are mostly all playing to their strengths. In the "title" role Chapman actually has the least rewarding role as he has to play it (comparatively) straight in order to keep the narrative together. He does it very well but the rest of the Pythons are much better simply because they have sketches to delivery rather than a narrative to drive.

Overall then this is a classic comedy that is rightly held up as the best of the Python films. Scene by scene it is a great collection of absurd sketches but the narrative is pretty much strong enough to prevent it just being this. Although the laughs are the all, the film has plenty of clever lampoons on the development of religions and religious organisations. It is a shame that it is so well known for the controversy because this has so much more that makes it memorable.

Still wondering about that spaceship

[Rammstein-2 · 7/10 · 13 January 2000]

If the "Holy Grail" is their funniest movie, "Life of Brian" is the most well-made. And here it is easier to sort through the sketches and jokes scattered around the film, because it does tend to get boring at some times. British humor is the best, though, and this film is a clear and vivid example of the finest the Python gang had to offer.

The single most hilarious moment is when Brian shouts to the crowd that they're all individuals. They answer in unison: "yes, yes, we are all individuals" - and then this bearded fellow pokes his head out and calmly states: "I'm not." That is just brilliant.

Blasphemous? Yes, somewhat, but you'd have to be a really thick-headed Christian not to laugh at this harmless little film. After all, you are prompted to sing along: "always look on the bright side of life"...

What I really can't figure out is that sequence with the spaceship. I know you're not supposed to ask questions when watching Python humor - I just want to know what went through their minds when they added it...

One of the top 10 of all time

[JerBear-2 · 10/10 · 30 May 1999]

True, my tastes are eclectic. This movie is so incredibly clever and thought provoking that it's not surprising that it raised so many hackles. Plus, it's as fast paced and funny as a Marx Brothers movie without the musical breaks. You can watch it 20 times and you'll still sing at the end. Undoubtedly one of the top 10!!

Cheerful Nihilism.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 17 December 2011]

There's a scene in this send up of Biblical movies and stories that always gets a chuckle out of me. At the end, there are a dozen or so men strung up there and left to die on crosses. Brian, the protagonist, is one of them. He's done nothing to deserve it. His friends and rescuers have failed him. But his crucified neighbor sums up the most apt attitude by cheerfully advising Brian not to be so glum about it all. He begins to sing and whistle a song, "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life," that contains incongruous lyrics that are too vulgar to reproduce here. Not only, "Always look on the bright side of Death/ Just before you draw your terminal breath," but "Life's a piece of s***/ When you look at it...." Monty Python seem to me to have been entirely serious, amid the gaggle of gags, in skewering all of our intense dispositions to follow one or another social or religious movement. As far as I know they were only explicit about it in the penultimate scene of "The Meaning of Life," which wound up with an actor in drag advising us to try to be nice to one another. I think it was meant seriously.

But then there is often a momentous covert message behind some of the jokes. I'll give one example.

Brian, having been mistaken for a prophet in the Holy Land, runs down the streets followed by a gang of ardent worshippers and he accidentally loses his shoe and leaves it behind rather than be caught. The followers stop and gape at the shoe. One holds the shoe in the air and cries that Brian wants all of us to wear only one shoe. Another argues that it's not the shoe that's the sign, it's Brian's gourd that he left behind. An dispute ensues over whether it should be the shoe or the gourd. A joke, because the conflict lacks instrumental meaning -- except when you think of Sunni vs. Shi'ite in the Middle East, or Catholic vs. Protestant in Northern Ireland.

Some of the jokes are sillier than others, recalling Mel Brooks. Pilate has speech defect. His "r" comes out as "w", and the crowd keeps tricking him into calling out names with lots of "r"s in them, which convulses them with laughter. "Woger the Wobber!" he cries, and the crowd hoots and doubles over. His friend, Biggus Dickus, speaks with a lisp and is drawn into lengthy pronouncements containing "s". Well, I DID mention Mel Brooks.

It helps, though, if you're in the right mood for this nihilistic nonsense. Anything can happen. Anything goes. A man may jump from a tower and land in a space ship that happens to be speeding by. When the Roman guards find a rebel painting "Romans Go Home" (in Latin) on a wall, they don't arrest him. They correct his grammar and make him copy it one hundred times on the wall. (The Centurion, John Cleese, had attended prep school and Cambridge and had taught Latin.) I don't know how well that will go over with kids who never heard of using correct grammar, let alone in Latin, a notoriously synthetic language in which each word contains many morphemes. I swear there must be an agglutinative language somewhere in which you can say something like, "I'd rather watch television tonight than hang out at the Sonicburger" -- and it all comes out as one word.

Anyway, if you're in a mood to have your head taken and shaken back and forth a little, "The Life of Brian" might get the job done.

Still funny, after 25 years

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 8/10 · 29 June 2004]

When a film is still funny 25 years after it's made, and doesn't feel particularly aged, even a quarter of a century later, then you know that you've struck gold. The famous Monty Python crew once again take a well-known subject and make a lot of fun of it. This time, the subject is religion, or, more specifically, Christianity. Everyone who knows at least a little about Christianity, which is pretty much anyone from the western world, will probably be able to laugh at something in this movie. Unless, of course, you are very Christian yourself, in that case you will probably feel that the film is blasphemous(I don't personally think so, since it makes fun of the followers and the general stupidity of people and organizations back in 30-something A.D., rather than Jesus and his teachings). The plot is about as incoherent as the usual Monty Python team film, though it should be noted that, like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, it is an actual film, and not a series of sketches, like, for example, the Meaning of Life. It's about as paced as they usually are, most of the scenes contain a lot of jokes, and then they move on to the next scene, after about five minutes of jokes and sight gags. This is, unfortunately, the problem with their films; if you don't like the jokes, the film might seem extremely slow to you; of course, one could argue that Monty Python mainly make movies for the jokes sake, but they could do better on the pacing, for the sake of viewers who don't like all those repeated jokes. That's not to say that I don't like them, I laugh at them most of the time, heck, I laughed so hard that I almost got stomach ache from it at one particular instant. But, I guess that a lot of people won't like them for this way of making movies. Oh well. You can't please everyone. The humor is great, it's standard Python wacky, crazy humor, so every Python fan should enjoy it. People who don't like Monty Python should give this a chance too, if they have at least a little humor, and they aren't Christian extremists. Christian "believers" can probably laugh at it too, like I said, it's not the religion itself, it's more the brainwashed followers that the film makes fun of. All in all, a great film for fans of the Python crew, and people who have a sense of humor about religion(a dark sense of humor, that is). I recommend it to fans of Monty Python, people who enjoy dark humor and people who can laugh a little at the less intelligent parts of Christianity. I fall into all three categories, and I loved it. 8/10

Religious satire at its finest, not its most controversial

[Movie_Muse_Reviews · 7/10 · 27 June 2008]

Watching Monty Python's "Life of Brian" is not blasphemy. In 1979, that might have been more reasonable. Let's just say that the penalty in today's society would be crucifixion and that back then it would have been something worse.

"Life of Brian" doesn't directly insult Judeo-Christian history, it just takes it extremely not seriously. The result is a satire not of specific religions, but of religious characteristics that apply to most of the world's religions: people being quick to believe, notions of what is sin, etc. It plays off a western sensibility, but it doesn't directly criticize Judeo-Christian religious practice. The incredible Monty Python cast delivers this in their typical sketch humor manner, though this film has much more continuity than 1975's "Holy Grail."

Brian Cohen was born the same day as Jesus, but Jesus is separated from the film early on, so the film becomes about how Brian finds himself looking for something to believe in and eventual finds people strangely believing he is the messiah. He is a true protagonist in that the ridiculousness happens to him instead of the other way around. It is the rest of the cast in their multiple roles that surround his story with humor.

The array of comedic characters are not nearly as diverse and memorable as "Holy Grail" and for that matter the film is not nearly as memorable or funny. The comedic elements are the same, but they are much more potent in "Grail." However, the plot line is much smoother, with the sketches fitting into the plot line instead of bouncing all over the place.

"Brian" is good as a satire, better than it is at being a comedy. While the film will still has the distinct look and feel of a Monty Python work, it doesn't go from hilarious scene to hilarious scene as one might expect if they've only seen "Grail." There's a lot of clever humor, but "Brian" is not nearly as out of the box as you'd like. But in terms of offensive, only if you take all discussion of religious ideas and history very seriously as the Monty Python crew quite literally turn the sacred into the profane.

Intensely repetitive

[briancham1994 · 5/10 · 14 November 2020]

I don't have a sense of humour, but if I did, Monty Python would not be it. There are a few nice satirical ideas in here, I'll give it that, but this film mires in repetition. The first time someone mentions "Biggus Dickus" or speaks with a speech impediment or follows Brian around even when he doesn't want it, it's not very funny. So there's not much worth in seeing that same concept dragged on for another five minutes.