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After the Monty Python troupe bathed in the massive success of their hilarious low-budget picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the team soon regrouped to produce another silly, incredibly hilarious comedy. Life of Brian is a brilliant sacrilegious production that combines irreverent humour as well as political and religious satire. The results are as outstanding and hilarious as they were when first released about 30 years ago.
Logically enough, Life of Brian is a film about a boy named Brian Cohen (Chapman). Brian is born in a stable on the original Christmas right next to the stable where Jesus is born. As a result the three wise men mistake Brian for the Son of God and present his bewildered mother with gifts...soon rectifying their mistake. We then jump forward a number of decades to "Judea, AD 33, Saturday afternoon...about tea time" when Brian is a fully grown man. Brian's mother had raised him to believe that his father was a certain Mr. Cohen, but one day Brian discovers that his father was a Roman centurion named Naughtius Maximus (joke name, of course). Brian, fuelled by his hatred for the Romans and refusing to believe he is one, is horrified and decides to join a rebel group called the People's Front of Judea (not to be mistaken for the Judean People's Front). After joining this rebel group a very amusing string of events begin to unfold. This includes being captured by the Romans, being mistaken for the Messiah and even being assigned for crucifixion.
Life of Brian is a film I truly adore! Being a big fan of Monty Python for numerous years I always find their style of humour to my liking. This film suffered criticism for its sometimes offensive views on religion. If you are one of those people and take the Python's views on religion seriously then I think you have a problem. Maybe you should go watch some religious propaganda and feel a lot better about the content in that. The film was even banned in certain parts of the world. Can't priests and heavily religious people just accept a good laugh?!?
I loved the performances from everyone in the cast. Even though the six members of the Python team play several roles, they are determined and give it 100%. They all have their moments of utter hilarity...even if it means a bunch of nudity. (Yes, Graham Chapman, I am looking at you. R.I.P.) The filmmakers cover all the basics...from Caesar with a speech impediment to Jesus delivering a sermon atop a mountain to a crowd who seem to be more concerned with insults concerning noses.
The six Monty Python members can certainly write a good script while in each other's company. In this film there's creativity and original humour all over the place. The film was shot in the beautiful location of Tunisia. The production values are quite good for a low-budget comedy (we can excuse a few minor technical faults for the sake of entertainment).
Life of Brian could be the best Monty Python movie in existence. This and Holy Grail are both downright hilarious and entertaining. Highly recommended! Interesting trivia fact: the film was financed by George Harrison of The Beatles.
10/10
