ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

Whitech It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

SnoopyStyle Paul Provenza and producer Penn Jillette bring an inside joke among comedians to the outside world. There's a family who performs a disgusting outlandish offensive act with their dog in front of a person. After the act, the persons ask what the act is called. They reply "The Aristocrats".It is essentially a bad joke. The reason for the love is that the performer is allowed to come up with the most outrageous inappropriate ideas. Honestly most of the jokes are not funny although it's probably funny for these comedians who have heard it all before. It is insane material that would never be used in any actual act. It's an insight into the world of comedians. The best one is probably Sarah Silverman who incorporates her family as the actual performers. She does it as a naive innocent girl although her punchline is "Joe Franklin raped me". Carrie Fisher does it with her famous parents. Gilbert Gottfried doing the roast after 9/11 is the most compelling piece of story. The DVD commentary adds more background to the comedy and the various comedians.

billcr12 The title refers to the punchline of a famous dirty joke which has been around for many years. The set up is usually, a guy walks into a talent agent's office, which is followed up with the most disgusting series of bad taste lines, to be ended with the fact that the family is called the aristocrats; a most ironic twist.The documentary asks several well known comedians to deliver their version of the joke. Same are creative, and others lame. I love Gilbert Gottfried for his warped mind. He began his act by saying that he was late due to a connecting flight at the Empire State Building. He was booed because it was shortly after the 911 attacks in New York. He continued right into a vicious and vulgar take on the joke; classic Gilbert. Sarah Silverman is also funny. She puts herself in the family and includes an incident of being raped by Joe Franklin while waiting to appear on his show. Apparently, Mr. Franklin was not amused, and threatened to sue Ms. Silverman. Overall, it's hit and miss, and at only 89 minutes, it is entertaining enough to recommend.

mlraymond A number of posters have commented that this documentary gives insight into the world/mind of the standup comedian. For people who supposedly earn a living by being funny, I was at a loss to understand why anyone would pay to hear any of these people, 90% of whom you've never heard, for obvious reasons. The whole dreary thing is basically a self congratulatory group of people thinking they're being funny, as they all try to top each other with yet another version of an ancient and incredibly unfunny joke. There are a few funny moments, when a comedian actually tells the joke in a creative or unexpected, imaginative way, but those moments are all too rare. Don't waste your time and money on this thing. There are plenty of videos available that actually show people being funny.

ntthfllshllng A documentary about an infamous joke that has done the rounds for decades amongst comedians but has rarely had a public airing. This is probably because, despite a roll call of some of comedy's biggest names, the joke just isn't very good, it's cult in-joke status can be the only reason for its longevity. This is however a likable film, which does have its funny moments, a particular highlight being the South Park telling of the joke, just don't believe the hyperbole of the DVD cover: "you'll laugh till it hurts" (rolling stone)... "one of the funniest movies ever" (hotdog)... "howlingly funny" (New York daily news) these people really should get out more.