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Patton Oswalt: Annihilation

Play trailer 1:13 Poster for Patton Oswalt: Annihilation 2017 1h 0m Stand-Up Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
By turns scathing and candid, Patton Oswalt reflects on the glut of comic material in the Trump era and the dark days following a personal tragedy.
Patton Oswalt: Annihilation

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Critics Consensus

A disarmingly perceptive exploration of loss, Patton Oswalt: Annihilation finds the comic deftly balancing his off-beat humor with an profoundly cathartic edge.

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Critics Reviews

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Rob Sheffield Rolling Stone 07/09/2019
Patton Oswalt goes back to work in this brutally funny instant-classic stand-up special, 18 months after the sudden death of his wife, true-crime writer Michelle McNamara. Go to Full Review
Alexandra Pollard Independent (UK) 07/09/2019
That subject matter doesn't exactly scream "stand-up special", but out of his devastating loss, Oswalt managed to craft something funny and profound. Go to Full Review
Dennis Perkins AV Club 10/26/2017
A
Annihilation is courageous most as evidence of a master comedian choosing to continue to think, even when thought is the enemy. Go to Full Review
Wesley Mead Den of Geek 07/10/2019
Deeply poignant and utterly breathtaking, it made me cry and laugh - sometimes simultaneously - delving into emotions rarely laid bare on such a public stage. Go to Full Review
Liam Mathews TV Guide 07/09/2019
Annihilation is one of the most extraordinary examples of finding humor in the face of tragedy in recent memory. Go to Full Review
Sean L. McCarthy Decider 12/20/2017
Through Annihilation, Oswalt finds catharsis. As he remembers his late wife's philosophy and shares it with us: "It's chaos. Be kind." Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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08/02/2021 One of the more disappointing stand-up specials I've seen, Patton Oswalt: Annihilation has some good jokes and memorable dialogue in the first half but a mood whiplash halfway through turns Oswalt's second Netflix special into more of a "take-it-or-leave-it" experience. On the one hand, I feel that this allows more insight into Oswalt as a person, especially since I didn't know about these details at all prior to seeing this special. On the other hand, I feel that it's out-of-place in stand-up where the whole point is to make people laugh and would've fit better as either part of an autobiography or a small group of videos on YouTube. He tries to leaven things with humour but it was pretty obvious that by this point, tickling the audience's funny bone was no longer his top priority. I do genuinely wish him well though and hope that, 4 years after this special came out, he's managed to come to terms with this tragedy. Annihilation wasn't bad but this being my first time seeing Netflix stand-up after the brilliant ones of Bill Burr and Ali Wong, coupled with its somber tone halfway through made this one feel like a letdown. See more 02/07/2020 I will always see that little boy talking about tits. See more 09/11/2019 Lots of really cheap jokes. How did the critics give it 100%? According to them it's comedic perfection and it couldn't possibly be any better. The fact that they gave this 100% and Dave Chappelle's "Sticks and Stones" 30% is beyond absurd. See more 09/07/2019 Werewolves and Lolipops was Patton's best comedic achievement, unfortunately it has been a steep downhill since then. Were there even jokes in this hour? I must have missed them. As a fan of Patton's I don't know what I keep coming back for, he hasn't delivered in years. See more 09/02/2019 Where is the mid 2000's Patton that I fell in love with. This recycled material is tired and used up, and it wasn't the best to start with. See more yash b 07/26/2018 Patton Oswalt balances both solid comedy and heartfelt moments in this special. If you're looking for a laugh out loud special, this isn't it. However, it is a unique experience in which the comedian becomes vulnerable at times and shares tragic moments in his life and helps the viewer see the bright side. See more Read all reviews
Patton Oswalt: Annihilation

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Movie Info

Synopsis By turns scathing and candid, Patton Oswalt reflects on the glut of comic material in the Trump era and the dark days following a personal tragedy.
Director
Bobcat Goldthwait
Screenwriter
Patton Oswalt
Genre
Stand-Up, Comedy
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 17, 2017
Runtime
1h 0m