Laugh or Die (2018): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2018, Laugh or Die is a drama, war and history film directed by Heikki Kujanpää, running about 103 minutes. “Humor is a matter of death” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Parikka, the actor once called the Funniest Man in Finland, and his troupe are about to be executed for the atrocities committed during the Civil War in Finland. Jaeger Lieutenant Nyborg, an admirer of Parikka, suspects a definite miscarriage of justice. He wants to save the actors. The forthcoming visit of the German General von der Goltz to the prison island provides him with a suitable opportunity. Nyborg suggests that the actors prepare a comical performance for the visitor and not be shot. Instead, they will be given a new trial. Preparing a comedy in the horrible circumstances, in the midst of hunger and death, seems quite an overwhelming task. Only a handful of real actors are still alive, the rest of the troupe consists of stagehands. Parikka has to use all his inventive skills to be able to produce something funny.

Who’s in it. Laugh or Die stars Martti Suosalo as Toivo Parikka, Tommi Eronen as Elo, Vesa Vierikko as Johansson and Leena Pöysti as Helen Kalm, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.4/10, Laugh or Die has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Laugh or Die page.

If you liked it. Fans of Laugh or Die tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.