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Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

Play trailer Poster for Monty Python's The Meaning of Life R Released Apr 1, 1983 1h 43m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 37 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
The stages of life are told through multiple sketches and songs by the British comedy troupe. The seven parts of life cover birth, growing up, war, middle age, organ transplants, old age and death. Not all stages are singular: "Part I: The Miracle of Birth" is from the perspective of an ignored woman in labor, and of a Roman Catholic couple with too many children, and "Part VII: Death" encompasses a funeral and heaven. Added are three unrelated skits placed in the beginning, middle and end.
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Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

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Critics Consensus

Monty Python's the Meaning of Life is rude, ribald, and unafraid to take comedic risks -- which is to say it should more than satisfy fans of the titular troupe.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Times (UK) While it’s the least cohesive of the Python feature films, it’s also possibly the film that is most true to the Python ethos. Mar 26, 2024 Full Review Bob Thomas Associated Press Some of the sketches are inspired... Some of the sketches are merely loud and boring the Pythons are at their unfunniest in drag. Even devout Pythonians might question some of the items. Oct 22, 2018 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Does the attack work? Only occasionally. Rated: 2.5/4 Jun 19, 2018 Full Review Rachel Wagner Rachel's Reviews (YouTube) A bit uneven for Python but enough laughs to recommend Nov 23, 2024 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com ...probably best enjoyed as separate clips on YouTube, or with liberal use of the fast-forward button... Rated: 3/5 Oct 16, 2021 Full Review Diego Galán El Pais (Spain) The Meaning of Life is one of the Monty Python's better films. But its innocence remains intact. [Full Review in Spanish] Aug 30, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jim P Life Of Brian is a better movie, but for a taste of Monty Python, this hits the spot. Some very funny moments, others not so good. But a lot of it takes the mickey out of the British Class System. Bravo! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/19/24 Full Review Pat W "I've seen better." Normally I only encounter this phrase in the bedroom when it is told to me by women. But today, I'll be the one saying this phrase, and I'll be saying it in regard to this movie. What's that you say? Surely I must be lying? Okay, fine, you got me, I lied: normally when I hear the phrase "I've seen better" within the bedroom context it's told to me by a man, not a woman. I don't see why you needed to out me like that, jerk. Can we please just talk about the movie? Great. Basically, it excels at being weird but fails at being good (kind of like the movie reviews I write). With its uniquely excessive sprinkling of lunacy and absurdism but near total lack of comedic substance, "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life" is like a piece of cardboard seasoned with fine exotic spices: it gives me indigestion. I would not recommend it, but at least the reason it fails isn't because it's bland. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 10/04/24 Full Review Oaklee D Not my favourite python film but did get a few chuckles out of me. Not my cup of tea. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/18/24 Full Review Audience Member A GREAT MOVIE WITH MANY GREAT SKETCHES Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/07/24 Full Review Jay H "Shut up! Shut up, you American. You always talk, you Americans. You talk and you talk and say 'let me tell you something' and 'I just wanna say this'. Well, you're dead now, so shut up!" Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/25/24 Full Review Audience Member So what is the meaning of life? According to Monty Python it's a myriad of things A series of sketches by the British comedy master himself along with directors Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones This delves into the cycles of birth, life, sex, death and so on This is also the last collaboration with Eric Idle, John Cleese, and Graham Chapman They start off as talking fish heads questioning life's meaning and overall existence This could definitely be one of those movies you don't know what to quite think about It's both weird and gross breaking away from traditional storytelling from what 'Life of Brian' and 'Holy Grail' were used to Sex, marriage, a house, family, a job all collide together making up most of us on this planet given the opening titles The sketches go from start to finish bouncing from childbirth to birth control to superiority of faith to being God-fearing followers to not being interested in what adults have to say even when talking about sexual intercourse to war to being an organ donor while also satirizing song sequences like 'Oliver' emphasizing how insignificant we are Still you can't blame the filmmakers for taking some comedic risks now and then As a whole it makes very little sense but in spades it's fine So it just depends on what you're looking for here if the movie will work or not Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/01/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

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Cast & Crew

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - A Bucket for Monsieur The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - A Bucket for Monsieur 2:27 The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Find the Fish The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Find the Fish 1:59 The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Goodbye Gifts on the Battlefield The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Goodbye Gifts on the Battlefield 2:50 The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Would Rather Be Elsewhere The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Would Rather Be Elsewhere 2:23 The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - The Penis Song The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - The Penis Song 0:46 The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - It's Christmas In Heaven The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - It's Christmas In Heaven 2:31 The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - The Miracle of Birth The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - The Miracle of Birth 3:00 The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Protestants and French Ticklers The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Protestants and French Ticklers 2:29 The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Every Sperm Is Sacred The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Every Sperm Is Sacred 2:46 The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Mr. Creosote Blows The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Mr. Creosote Blows 2:59 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis The stages of life are told through multiple sketches and songs by the British comedy troupe. The seven parts of life cover birth, growing up, war, middle age, organ transplants, old age and death. Not all stages are singular: "Part I: The Miracle of Birth" is from the perspective of an ignored woman in labor, and of a Roman Catholic couple with too many children, and "Part VII: Death" encompasses a funeral and heaven. Added are three unrelated skits placed in the beginning, middle and end.
Director
Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Producer
John Goldstone
Screenwriter
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 1, 1983, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Runtime
1h 43m
Sound Mix
Surround
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