In the beginning, there was nothing, but then God and/or his brother Simon created the universe, or perhaps something entirely different led us to this point. “Cunk on Life” is a mockumentary made with typically dry British humor that explores the biggest questions of life, such as questions about God’s hypothetical brother Simon. Philomena Cunk, the special’s host, is a character of Diane Morgan’s (a fact I learned embarrassingly recently). Al Campbell, the director, helps guide us through history to truly understand the mysteries surrounding life, such as “Where do we come from?” and “Who am I?” (Well, not me, obviously. I’m on the other side of the newspaper. Wait, who are you?)
The journey begins as Cunk walks through Italy to the Sistine Chapel. The mockumentary is split into 10 sections, with the first several based on classical theology and philosophy. We explore the relationship between humanity and God through Michelangelo’s paintings and are treated to a few fun facts. Did you know that Michelangelo would have been muscular enough to throw a mad priest off his back? That’s true, she says.
“Cunk on Life” follows the same formula as “Cunk on Shakespeare,” “Cunk on Britain” and “Cunk on Earth.” Cunk walks slowly and stumblingly through scenic locations across the world and baffles her interviewees (who simply want to share their expertise) with perplexing questions. As Cunk, Morgan always delivers a fun time — just remember not to take anything too seriously.
This movie is as British as a “bo’oh o’ wo’er” (i.e., bottle of water) but genuinely did teach me more about philosophy than my classes. If you want to get a better understanding of existentialism, hedonism, nihilism or really any -ism, I’d recommend giving “Cunk on Life” a go. Maybe an hour of your attention is too much to ask — after all, there is a disturbing lack of Subway Surfers gameplay on the bottom of the screen — but fear not, for there is a guided meditation in the middle of the special that should help you recenter your focus. Cunk is an excellent spiritual guide, but she did forget to tell me to breathe out (overall, a solid 7/10 meditation).
If science is more up your alley, Cunk has you covered, too. Do you ever wonder why 100% of people have a human body or why 40% of humans have a skeleton? Cunk explores how she looks like both her mother and her father but only has one face, and how lots of things are alive and have “D” and “A.” (Or was it “DNA”? She can’t quite remember.)
Speaking of science, “Cunk on Life” tackles the big question of why ghosts are seen on camera more than by scientists. It really makes you wonder why Notre Dame has a College of Science and not a College of Ghosts — I would certainly rather pass through walls than look at particles all day.
I would highly recommend watching “Cunk on Life” if you and your friends are looking for a fun yet insightful way to avoid doing anything actually productive. It kept me living, laughing and loving for the entire runtime, and I can’t wait to reference it until all my friends block me on Instagram. Make sure to stick around for the post-credits scenes, especially if you want to know about the impact of Brexit on entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Sit back, relax and enjoy the movie before AI advances enough to enjoy it for you.
