The Last Laugh

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The Last Laugh

Released Mar 3, 2017

1h 28m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Comics, actors, filmmakers and concentration camp survivors discuss the ramifications and ethical dilemmas of using the Holocaust as a topic for humor.

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Critics Consensus

The Last Laugh takes a fresh -- and unexpectedly funny -- approach to sensitive subject matter, uncovering affecting insights about the nature of comedy along the way.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

An eye opener in every sense

Nov 20, 2017

Full Review

Sheila O'Malley

RogerEbert.com

In its own way, "The Last Laugh" is a celebration of Jewish humor, not just its importance as a survival technique, but also just how much it has shaped our culture.

Nov 20, 2017

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Peter Keough

Boston Globe

Is laughter a palliative? The only weapon of the powerless? Perhaps significantly, the film ends in tears.

Nov 20, 2017

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Steven Prokopy

Third Coast Review

Director Pearlstein makes it easy on us to decide by making the film both hilarious and thought-provoking.

Apr 28, 2020

Full Review

Brigid Presecky

FF2 Media

Renee Firestone, a Holocaust survivor now 93-years-old, captures the essence of The Last Laugh, Pearlstein's documentary on the humor coming out of the horror during World War II.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 16, 2019

Full Review

Nathanael Hood

Audiences Everywhere

The Last Laugh doesn't have many answers. But the questions it raises are worth their own sake.

Rated: B+

Dec 27, 2018

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Stephen C

Just 1 hour and 28 minutes of real humor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/30/25

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greg r

Brilliant humor documentary about something that isn't funny at all.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Must see for every generation.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A brilliant and profoundly moving documentary on the limits of humor and a survivors journey of memory and life.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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Audience Member

Emotional, funny and absorbing. Memory, taboo and how we heal are explored through the lens of a Renee Firestone, an incredibly resilient and surprisingly lighthearted holocaust survivor, and top comedians including Mel Brooks, Sarah Silverman and Gilbert Gottfried. The film is heartbreaking and hilarious - a philosophical romp into how humor defines our humanity. Director Pearlstein handles the complexities deftly and with a cinematic eye. More important than ever to see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Asks the question "when can we joke about the Holocaust"? Hilarious, touching, and though-provoking.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

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Ferne Pearlstein

Director

Mel Brooks

Self

Sarah Silverman

Self

Carl Reiner

Self

Rob Reiner

Self

Gilbert Gottfried

Self

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Synopsis

Comics, actors, filmmakers and concentration camp survivors discuss the ramifications and ethical dilemmas of using the Holocaust as a topic for humor.

Director: Ferne Pearlstein
Producer: Ferne Pearlstein, Robert Edwards, Amy Hobby, Anne Hubbell, Jan Warner
Screenwriter: Robert Edwards, Ferne Pearlstein
Distributor: Tangerine Entertainment
Production Co: Tangerine Entertainment
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 3, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2017
Runtime: 1h 28m

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