Monty Python's best film!

Rating: Null/10 (23 March 2004)

I prefer Life of Brian to both the Holy Grail and the Meaning of Life, not least because it is one continuous, relatively coherent (to the extent that Python is ever coherent...) story rather than a collection of shortish sketches.
It's more than mindless fun, though. It appropriately ridicules some of the most important problems of humanity, such as the blind, unthinking adherence to self-styled leaders or "messiahs" ("I'm not the Messiah!" - "I say you are, and I should know, I've followed a few!"), the petty squibbling about the deeper significance of utterly insignificant things (his sandal left behind in the sand...), and how quickly religious bigots denounce those who don't quite share their own weird thoughts ("Kill the heretic!"). Brian's futile attempt to make them think for themselves is just SO spot-on: "You don't need to follow anyone! You're all individuals!" - (the whole crowd in unison:) "Yes, we're all individuals!" (Brian:) "You're all different!" (unison:) "Yes, we're all different!" (single, dissident voice:) "I'm not..." (that last line is one of my absolute favourites, in all its delightful absurdity.)
Another thing the film so aptly ridicules is the way in which "liberation fronts" or "freedom groups", who should have every reason to work together to achieve their common goal, will always argue and fight among themselves instead (the references to the Judean People's Front, the Popular Front of Judea, the Popular People's Front, and so on and so on...).
I highly recommend this film. It's not about Jesus at all - on the contrary, a Christian may well choose to see at as ridiculing only the false prophets (while a non-Christian like myself can safely see it as ridiculing ALL religious mumbo-jumbo...;-) ). And the crucifixion scene at the end is an absolute classic. Bottom line: Always look at the bright side of life! How can anyone (except the most ardent puritans steeped in the Dark Ages where having fun was supposed to be bad) take offense at such a pure and simple philosophy of life?