I've always loved Monty Python (as a teenager, I was able to talk my father into taking me to see them live on stage at City Center, NY), and when I first saw this movie at the time it initially was released (1979), I enjoyed it (although I was really too young to comprehend some of it; at that age, I considered myself an "atheist" rather than an "agnostic" and I was happy to see how pissed people I considered...and, for the most part, still consider...to be assholes got over it, often without having actually seen the film themselves). I haven't seen it since, and watched it again the other night after a gap of 30 years.

Maybe I shouldn't have re-watched it while suffering from a hangover. Much of it, of course, was brilliant, and as the film gained momentum, I found it funnier and funnier. Unfortunately, there were too many spots that I found tedious. Maybe certain styles of comedy that I found hilarious as a teenager just don't work for me anymore. The spots where characters argued incessantly over things like "big noses" (although the "Biggus Dickus" stuff made me laugh) wore on me, as did those parts of the film where the Pythons dressed like women and talked like old Cockneys.

The look of the film has aged well, which surprised me. Most of it, from what I understand, was filmed in Tunisia, and it certainly looked authentic, in terms of the scenery and dress (although names like "Brian Cohen" seemed iffy in terms of "authenticity"). For me, the genius of the Pythons was their ability to seamlessly mix erudite intellectual humor with pure slapstick, and I don't know that they did that as well in this movie as they did in "Holy Grail". Then again, maybe I've just become too inured by decades of experiencing and observing real-life religious intolerance, stupidity, and evil to find it a fecund source of humor. Either that, or I need to watch it again when not hung over.

Pretty funny, plus it has my name in the title. Which helps

This movie will make you piss yourself.  It's absolutely hilarious.  Especially good is when the 'good samaritan' helps one of the guys getting crucified, and he runs off...  Absolutely priceless

This movie taught me a very important lesson. To always look at the bright side of life.

A brave move on the Pythons' part to try a comedy about religion. In spite of the heretical humor it is fairly historically accurate in many ways. There actually were many self-pronounced "Messiahs" in the era of Jesus and rebel groups trying to overthrow the Roman puppet government were common. That being said, this is one of Monty Pythons better films and certainly worth viewing. There were a lot of protests from Christian groups due to the subject matter and so a lot of people boycotted this movie. So go rent or borrow this movie and see what the controversy was all about.

I love all the Monty Python movies!!!! They are Classics!
A must see!

Hilarious

The Python boys are at it again scoring big with their first fully realized story (discounting the seldom seem, soon forgotten "JAbberwocky", which appeared two or three years before this release) chronicling the saga of Brian Cohen who was born in a manger next door to that of the Messiah on the very same night as the savior's birth. In a series of mishaps and mistaken identities, Brian (Played by the late Graham Chapman) is hounded by Roman soldiers, would be diciples who believe him to be the "true" Messiah, lustful groupies, and rival religious factions. Using the same naughty English schoolboy attack that they are noted for in their television series and the classic "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", the boys further spoof Christianity and the many splinter groups that all claim to be the true and only true believers of the sacred teachings. While this full frontal attack on a popular organized religion may have caused this film to be less well attended than the previously mentioned "Holy Grail", unlike it's predecessor, (which exists primarily as a group of skits loosely woven around a centralized theme) this film has a continuity that leads to an eventual resolution of the plot. The more memorable scenes include: Brian's introduction to the members of the 'People's Front of Judea' (sp?), while working as a vendor during the matinee show at the local gladitorial bloodbath. ("Owls ears! Wren's spleens! Otter's noses! Wolf nipple chips! Get em while they're hot. They're lovely...") Michael Palin appearing on the street as a fast talking begger ("Alms for and old ex-leper.") who's calling in life has become compromised after being cured of his disease by Jesus ("Bloody do-gooder!"), and the film's climax that has Brian and many of his fellow unfortunates hanging on crosses awaiting their final demise while ERic Idle sings a whistful paean to worldly existance with it's refrain, "Always look on the the bright side of life..." You'll leave the screening clutching your stomach, sides aching from belly laughs, and tears of laughter rolling down your cheeks whistling the melody that will never your head.

More about politics than religion, although the satire really applies to groups based on causes in general.

I tend to enjoy British comedy, but this really sucks.

The religious tone of the movie might make some uncomfortable, but still a very funny movie. A group of people being crucified while singing Always look on the bright side of life might make you feel a little bad about laughing, but you still laugh.

And I thought Holy Grail was bad. Really unfunny.

You've got to look on the bright side of life.

A shamelessly funny look at Brian who is falsly accused of being the Messiah. He's not you know. Any way Brian gets in to all kinds of trouble with his big nose and with the Pythons at the helm it could not be any funnier. You can't have a baby! You don't have a WOMB!!!

Goofy and a little too off the wall at times, but overall very funny. Everyone in the Monty Python group is just so funny. I love the always look on the bright side song they song while on the crusifixes, and also when the philosophers are arguing about a man having the right to have a baby! Hilarious!

One of my favorite Python films! The ending is especially hillarious.

They are so funny! They just crack me up everytime!

Scandalous, heretical, and absolutely hilarious. John Cleese's turn as the Centurian correcting Brian's latin is priceless.

Holy Grail was way better.

if you like monty python your life isn't complete when you didn't see this masterpiece.

When a comedy is clever it is good, when it takes a well known subject, pulls it to pieces, puts it back together again through the minds of six genius it can only be described as brilliant!

Had me laughing from the first scene, to the last.

Do you find something humouwous abowt my fwiend, Bigus Dickus?

One of the funniest films of all time..never once have i not laughed. and dont forget.. " HE IS NOT THE MESSIAH,HE`S A VERY NAUGHTY BOY "

Marking a sad turn in the Python franchise, from PG to the R rating. Believe me, the really bad profanities are nowhere near as brilliant as the fish-slapping dance of saying "Ni!" Avoid this one and stick with their older stuff instead.

Monthy Python is genius of comedies and humour. They're the greatest comedy gang ever. Life of Brian is a really funny and good movie. It will make you laugh..trust me. I love all their movies and episodes of Monthy Python's Flying Circus. I love them all. Monthy Python forever. =)

Monty Python are the kings of comedy. Life Of Brian is ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS. ("I have a good fweind in Wome (Rome), his name is, Bigus Dickus"). It is absolutely hilarious, a real scream. Trust me, if your a fanatical christian or something, get over it and see this movie. Monty Python prove that they are the funniest. Summary: ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS MONTY PYTHON FILM.

I love this movie! I think it out does the holy grail, funny, funny stuff! the last scene is one of my favorites, classic, it compleats the movie perfectly! bad ass!

Jehovah Jehovah Jehovah!!!!

The crucifixion scene leaves me in stitches.

This has to be the absolutely funniest movie ever made. I laugh tears every time I watch it, and I must have watched it a hundred times so far. "Crucifixion? Could be worse!"

Boring and confusing Monty Python film.

I'm Brian and so is my wife...

People called Romans, they are going to house

"He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy"

no words can describe the excelency!

You're all individuals.

When this film was first released, it had the christian community in an uproar as they though it was defiling Jesus' name. On a chatshow, John Cleese and Michael Palin had a war of words against one of the ministers - something any Python fan should watch. The film itself is highly entertaining and carries on with the sense of humour that is present in all the Python work. My favourite line has to be 'He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy'. Me and my fiance have all the Python films because we adore them so much!

Well, they done it again! Four years after their hilarious trammeling of King Arthur and his poor knights (Monty Python And The Holy Grail, 1974), the Brits John Cleese, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Terry Jones and their expatriate American friend Terry Gilliam have a go at Biblical conventions. Widely condemned at the time of it's release (Indeed, banned in Ireland altogether-guess thats one thing the Catholics and Protestants were able to agree on!) as being sacriligious, it is apparent, after viewing the film, that such outcries came from people who never bothered to watch it first. This is nothing new now, and it was nothing new then. Anything that even hints at irreverence brings 'em out of the woodwork! The film concerns itself with Brian Cohen, a self-described "Red Sea pedestrian", and his adventures in Roman occupied Judea circa 33 AD. Brian becomes involved with an anti-Roman resistance movement. When he is caught painting "Romans Go Home" in the forum one night by a soldier, who proceeds to punish him for his bad grammar (He is made to paint the phrase 100 times!), he is forced to flee into the marketplace. There, to blend in, he joins the many "Messiahs" vying for an audience, and gains a following, very much against his will. This proves to be his undoing, and he is undone as only the Pythons can undo it! Whereas "Holy Grail" was really a series of skits built around a central theme, "Life Of Brian" has a linear storyline. As always, there are flights of fancy and nonsequitur. It would not be a true Python film without these. But they are fewer, more controlled and integral here. The two movies are equally funny, but in different ways. This is a more polished, somewhat more restrained effort. All the familiar Python hallmarks are here: most of the women's parts are played by men in hilariously bad drag. Almost all of the roles are played by the six Pythons themselves, with support for some secondary roles and some crowd scenes. There are memorable (to say the least) interpretations of historical and biblical figures (Though those expecting mockery of Jesus will be disappointed: He appears once, in a long-shot, at the film's opening, delivering the Sermon On The Mount, and he is not the object of the scene's humor. The crowd, bickering amongst themselves is.). Michael Palin's Pontius Pilate, sounding for all the world like Elmer Fudd, is worth watching the film for, all by itself! You'll be cracking up over those scenes for days! ( "What is funny about the name Biggus Dickus? I have a vewy gweat fwiend in Wome by the name of Biggus Dickus!"). The film climaxes with, to my knowledge, the only musical crucifixion on film, other than the one in "Jesus Christ Superstar"(1973), and this one is, I promise you, much funnier!

This is easily the best comedy ever made. There isn't even another movie in Life Of Brian's rear view mirror. Chapman and the boys reached their pinnacle with this one.

I have long been a fan of Monty Python, and currently own all of their feature films and several episodes of the old tv show. Life of Brian was amazingly scripted, with just enough biblical references to make it seem historical, yet blasphemous enough to be funny and incredibly insulting to religious people.

Some really good bits are almost lost around a lot of padding that makes Life of Brian drag, especially compared to Holy Grail.

what's so special about the cheese makers? He doesn't mean cheese makers per se, rather makers of dairy products in general.

I loved this movie! It was by far the funniest I've seen in all my life.

The best Python achievement!!