Review of The Meaning of Life

The Meaning of Life is not for everyone. It is very tasteless, but it is often brilliant too. The film is uneven of course but it is very funny. It looks good, the direction is solid and the dialogue and gags are witty, unique and inspired. The acting and comic timing from Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, John Cleese, Michael Palin and Terry Jones is impeccable too. And there are some genuinely funny moments such as the sequence in which a financial institution is boarded by swashbuckling pirates and Every Sperm is Sacred. However, some of the middle half borders on the dull side, while the war parody is overlong and the sequence in which a glutton explosively overeats is incredibly grotesque(one word of advice: don't watch this sequence while eating). Overall though, it is funny and clever. 7/10 Bethany Cox