The Last Laugh

Released Mar 3, 2017

1h 28m

Documentary

List

98%

45 Reviews

Tomatometer

74%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

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

Read More

Read Less

Peacock

Prime Video

Rent The Last Laugh on Prime Video, or buy it on Prime Video.

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Audience Member

A nice exploration of comedy and the 'lines' that comedians play with. Was an interesting documentary.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Ferne Pearlstein

Director

Mel Brooks

Self

Sarah Silverman

Self

Carl Reiner

Self

Rob Reiner

Self

Gilbert Gottfried

Self

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

92%

68%

Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World

TRAILER

for Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World

92%

93%

Intent to Destroy

TRAILER

for Intent to Destroy

100%

60%

National Bird

TRAILER

for National Bird

67%

68%

The Age of Consequences

TRAILER

for The Age of Consequences

94%

61%

Drone

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Logan Is Certified Fresh

View more photos

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

Full Review

Peter Keough

Boston Globe

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

Nov 20, 2017

Full Review

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

Full Review

Read all reviews

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
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

Most Popular at Home Now