Movie of the Week: Life of Brian

Alexa: I have to admit something. I didn’t grow up watching Monty Python, and as such, I’ve always felt like I’m missing something when I view it now. Monty Python is notoriously hilarious but I don’t laugh out loud at it as much as I feel like I should. I felt that way about “Holy Grail” and had the same reaction to “Life of Brian.” It’s not that I don’t like it or don’t think it’s funny. On the contrary, I think this movie is whip-smart in its social commentary and its humor. The Python guys have such a unique sensibility, and “Life of Brian” is expertly executed. I just found myself appreciating it as an art form more than I found myself actually laughing at it, if that makes sense. I acknowledge that this is a personal failing on my part, to recognize that it’s funny without laughing much. There were a few moments that really had me rolling, like the grammar correction scene Jason mentioned and the “what have the Romans ever done for us” bit. But as revered as Python is, I just feel like I’m not always in on the joke. And maybe it’s a testament to how influential Monty Python has been on comedy as a whole that being introduced to it later in life hasn’t resonated with me as much as I hoped, because it’s made such a strong mark on the entire genre. That said, whether it’s your cup of tea or not, “Life of Brian” is absolutely worth watching if only to spend a little time appreciating Python’s legacy.

Joel: I feel like almost every review of Life of Brian has to start out by talking about how Monty Python and the Holy Grail is really the groups most famous movie and the one that people are usually more familiar with. These two movies are neck and neck for “Best Python Movie” (with The Meaning of Life coming in at a still fantastic, but unquestionable third) but there’s no question that if you ask a random person, they’re far more likely to have seen or heard about Holy Grail than Life of Brian.

Honestly, the popularity of Holy Grail really helps out this movie. Holy Grail has become such an ingrained part of our general pop culture, that every joke, and every sketch in the movie is one that I’ve seen a dozen times, heard quoted throughout high school and college, and seen done as a musical. In contrast, the jokes in Life of Brian feel fresh even on the second or third viewing of the movie. It’s like a nice reminder that these gags aren’t just funny because they’re funny to quote and recreate with your friends, there actually just really funny gags.

This feels like the most long form story that Monty Python ever set out to tell. They’re most famous for their sketches, some of which are only one joke long. The Meaning of Life is little more than a series of sketches loosely held together by a general theme, and The Holy Grail technically has a story, though it’s never the movie that lets story get in the way of a good joke (or any joke for that matter). In contrast Life of Brian actually feels like it has a plot, characters, as well as the general story beats you would expect from a movie. Yes, there are plenty of scenes that obviously only exits to be sketches set in biblical times, and yes, the alien moment is straight out of the most non sequitur moments of their show, but the movie feels like it might be the most complex work the group has ever put out.  Graham Chapman’s Brian actually feels like a real character as opposed to his King Arthur in Holy Grail that feels more like a parody of one. It feels like Monty Python set out to prove that they could work in long form storytelling and manage to do it quite well, while still being really, really funny.

Jason: Holy Grail may be Monty Python’s most popular film but I think that this one is by far their best. There is so much to love about this movie. Every scene is riotously funny and the commentary (both historical and social) is on point. Some parts are even relevant to today’s social issues such as Stan/Loretta’s identity.

I am having difficulty writing a review or critique for this one because how do you review a movie that is perfect? It’s hard to discuss it without just talking about your favorite parts. (Mine is the bit where Brian is graffiting the plaza and the centurion chastises him about his Latin grammar.) Even when the movie makes no sense whatsoever (see the alien abduction scene), it is so outlandish that it works!

I don’t remember the first time I watched this movie. I know I was pretty young. Too young, perhaps, for it to be entirely appropriate. My dad was a huge Python fan and recited their sketches incessantly when I was a kid. I knew their material long before I had ever seen any of it. I’m sure I watched this movie as a child and didn’t get any of it. Now, as an adult, I can watch it and see how they were able to tell a satirical story that runs parallel to that of Jesus without crossing that line and stepping on any toes. That isn’t to say that it is not close enough to being blasphemous that it has been banned in several countries but that just makes it funnier!  The whole Monty Python gang was at their tip top with this movie. It is the pinnacle of their careers. It’s just so dang rewatchable!

And just so everyone knows, I picked this movie because it was tangentially Christmas related. You might say “Christmas Adjacent” and I hope you all can appreciate that.