The Last Laugh (2016 film)

The Last Laugh is a 2016 American documentary film directed by Ferne Pearlstein about whether jokes about the Holocaust can ever be funny.^[1]

The Last Laugh
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ferne Pearlstein
Written by	Robert Edwards Ferne Pearlstein
Cinematography	Anne Etheridge Ferne Pearlstein
Edited by	Ferne Pearlstein
Release dates	April 18, 2016 (2016-04-18) (Tribeca Film Festival) March 3, 2017 (2017-03-03) (United States)
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Synopsis

Is the Holocaust funny? This documentary looks at the taboo topic of humor, delving deep into pop-culture to find out where to draw the line, and whether that is a desirable—or even possible—goal. Much of the film is centered around Auschwitz survivor Renée Firestone who discusses humor in the concentration camps and finding enjoyment in life after the war.

Cast

All appearing as themselves

• Mel Brooks
• Larry Charles
• Robert Clary
• David Cross
• Renée Firestone
• Gilbert Gottfried
• Jake Ehrenreich
• Lisa Lampanelli
• Carl Reiner
• Rob Reiner
• Jeff Ross
• Harry Shearer
• Sarah Silverman

Archive footage

• Jerry Lewis
• Joan Rivers

Release

The Last Laugh premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 18, 2016.^[2]

Critical reception

The Last Laugh has earned very high critical praise.^[3][4] The film has a score of 98% on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 46 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Last Laugh takes a fresh -- and unexpectedly funny -- approach to sensitive subject matter, uncovering affecting insights about the nature of comedy along the way."^[5]