Life of Brian (1979)
A hapless man's life becomes a darkly comic, absurdist satire of messianic expectations and Roman-era politics.
Brian Cohen is an average young Jewish man, but through a series of ridiculous events, he gains a reputation as the Messiah. When he's not dodging his followers or being scolded by his shrill mother, the hapless Brian has to contend with the pompous Pontius Pilate and acronym-obsessed members of a separatist movement. Rife with Monty Python's signature absurdity, the tale finds Brian's life paralleling Biblical lore, albeit with many more laughs.
How intense is Life of Brian?
Life of Brian has no gore and some violence. Emotionally it carries some weight. The pace is measured, and it is a full-attention watch and a late-night trip. The humor runs dry and absurdist. Rated R.
What Life of Brian feels like
- Tone
- satiricalabsurdistcampydarkly comic
- Pace
- Measured
- Humor
- dry and witty, absurdist
- Best for
- Full attentionLate night
Where to stream Life of Brian
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 13, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is Life of Brian for you?
Is Life of Brian scary?
No. Life of Brian is not a scary watch (scare level 0 of 3).
Is Life of Brian gory or violent?
No gore (0 of 3) and some violence (1 of 3). Squeamish viewers are fine here.
Is Life of Brian sad or heavy?
A little. There is some emotional weight (1 of 3), but it is not a heavy watch.
Is Life of Brian OK for kids?
It is rated R, so it is made for adults. Intensity: scare 0, gore 0, violence 1, each out of 3.
How long is Life of Brian?
Life of Brian runs 1h 34m.
Where can I stream Life of Brian?
Life of Brian is streaming on Prime Video, Peacock, Kanopy and The Roku Channel.
Does Life of Brian have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
No. Brace yourself.
Cast and crew
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