The Meaning of Life

Name: The Meaning of Life
Genre: Comedy, Musical
Released: March 31, 1983
Duration: 107 min
Rating: 72
Cast: Carol Cleveland, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Judy Loe

1983

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

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Monty Python Live

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: March 31, 1983 | R

Starring: Carol Cleveland, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Judy Loe, Michael Palin, Patricia Quinn, Simon Jones, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones

Summary: The comedy team takes a look at life in all of its stages in their own uniquely silly way.

Director: Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones

Genre(s): Comedy, Musical

Rating: R

Runtime: 107 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Glenn Kenny

Life is Python at its most relentlessly tasteless and uncompromisingly Swiftian. Read full review

Keith Staskiewicz

It’s tough to find the meaning in much of the craziness on display here, let alone the meaning of all human existence as the title promises, but you will find a whole lot of exquisite nonsense. Read full review

Noel Murray

The Meaning Of Life is unsparing and elaborate in its vision of humanity at its foulest. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Gross, silly, caustic, tasteless and obnoxious are all adjectives that alternately apply to Monty Python's The Meaning of Life though probably the most appropriate description would simply be funny. Read full review

Robert Osborne

Unbelievably crass. And extremely funny. Read full review

Roger Ebert

A movie that seems consumed with a desire to push us too far. This movie is so far beyond good taste, and so cheerfully beyond, that we almost feel we're being One-Upped if we allow ourselves to be offended. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Many of the sketches show the Pythons' deranged, offbeat humor at its best, but the film begins to pale long before the end and relies on some revolting bits such as a "live" organ transplant and the spectacular (and graphic) explosion of an obese glutton. Read full review

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User Reviews

crigamon

Aug 4, 2021

One of the most funniest comedy masterpieces of all time showing Monty Phyton's greatness and awesomeness! See it to laugh it out loud!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Kai82

Nov 26, 2022

Another great Monty Python movie. Like the title suggests it is a satire / comedy about life. From birth to death nothing will be spared from black humor. Be it religion, work, sex, war, eating and more. The only question for you is if you like the Monty Python style of humor. If yes thenAnother great Monty Python movie. Like the title suggests it is a satire / comedy about life. From birth to death nothing will be spared from black humor. Be it religion, work, sex, war, eating and more. The only question for you is if you like the Monty Python style of humor. If yes then this is an awesome and entertaining movie. The humor works so well that I can only praise the movie. They master satire, parody, exaggeration and nonsense humor. It is such a pleasure to watch. Also like any good comedy and/or satire it gives a bit to think about. The Monty Python team consisting of Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, John Cleese and Michael Palin was just awesome at their time and I wished they made more movies. Overall I think this is a must see for Monty Python fans and maybe even others. It has a lot of clever observations, satire and black humor.… Expand

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liamexe

Feb 16, 2023

The third and final Monty Python film was this one. They clearly weren't going to leave peacefully, as evidenced by the abundance of "offensive?" sketches in this film. Although I personally found nothing objectionable in the movie, religious and closed-minded folks were slightly offended.The third and final Monty Python film was this one. They clearly weren't going to leave peacefully, as evidenced by the abundance of "offensive?" sketches in this film. Although I personally found nothing objectionable in the movie, religious and closed-minded folks were slightly offended. (Such a disgrace.) Making people laugh is what comedians are meant to do, and Python were always doing it. In my opinion, they were successful. It is obvious that the majority of renowned American reviewers simply did not get this. They were perplexed by the topic of the majority of the sketches, which is really unexpected considering how straightforward and unnecessary they all were. The Python team's departure from us was appropriate and right.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

kyle20ellis

Mar 22, 2022

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,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… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DawdlingPoet

Nov 27, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is more of a long sketch show than a film with a traditional narrative as such, although it is split into different 'parts', a bit like a play maybe? if you know of Monty Pythons TV shows then you'll have a good idea of what to expect, in terms of the surreal, zany form of comedy featured, sometimes quite slapstick and certainly visual in style. I, personally, prefer 'The Life of Brian' to this. This film was a bit too wacky/'out of the box' for my personal taste and some of the sequences were a bit gross out, like the more than slightly obese man who regurgitates...a lot (like the racist WI lady in 'Little Britain').

However, there are some amusing moments, noteably the scene with John Cleese as the school teacher, explaining sex to a class of interested adolescent boys. The start with the 'short presentation' featuring older workers fighting back against the 'system' is quite...bizarre? yes, amusing? sort of...not laugh out loud as such but...interesting(!). The film is definitely madcap - I also enjoyed the dig at Catholics in the 'Every Sperm is Sacred' musical number. It seems to flit about and overall, I can't say I felt it was, generally, especially good but its definitely ok. If your a fan of Monty Python then you'll likely enjoy this but it won't suit all, I'd say. I wouldn't expressly recommend it as such, no.… Expand

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Habibiehakim

Apr 8, 2022

6.5/10
The Monty Python's is trying to use the same style that they use in their Masterpiece debut first original film The Holy Grail, when they all just breaking the rules, The Meaning Of Life is indeed breaking the rules with the differences they all different sketch with one point, which6.5/10
The Monty Python's is trying to use the same style that they use in their Masterpiece debut first original film The Holy Grail, when they all just breaking the rules, The Meaning Of Life is indeed breaking the rules with the differences they all different sketch with one point, which is The Meaning Of Life, now the problem is unfortunately it mostly didn't work for me, even already in the first 15 minutes of The Crimson Permanent Assurance, i did not care on that sketch at all, there is still some "Parts" as they say that are works fine, i like all the song sequence, i enjoy it, i laugh, and i like it, but mostly it don't and they seems try too hard on those sketch, sometimes it takes too long, and sometimes it just unfunny, so overall The Meaning Of Life is still a recommendation for just the people who are want to follow everything, but for people who want some entertainment, i'm just gonna recommend you to watch The Holy Grail and Life Of Brian and just forget about this one.… Expand

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