Louis C.K. has been having a cultural moment for quite a while largely because stand-up comedy has hit a doldrums with audiences souring on Dane Cook and Carlos Mencina and not really bonding well with Kevin Hart. "Louie" gets called "The Comedians' Comedian" more often than contenders such as Marc Maron. While no direct translation exists in regular English, the phrase is roughly the kindest, most polite way to point out that someone is not actually, conventionally, funny. At his best, however, Louie does make you think in the way history's best comedian George Carlin's more heady philosophical moments would make you stop and take note. However, largely Louie spends his time telling scatologically or sexually- themed anecdotes from his life. He has more than made his investment back on his two daughters whose foibles account for much of his material with his physical condition and bedroom habits largely making up the rest. In short, while you won't walk away quoting good lines, you might pick up some interesting insights.

I actually had high expectations, but from what I've seen of his, this is by far his weakest. Something just didn't lick as much as his others and the material to me wasn't as funny. Saying that though, it's still decent enough. Chewed Up, which came before it, is showing him at his best though and there seems to be a definite change of tone. Still, there are enough decent moments and there's some pretty spot-on commentary as to the world we live in and the type of people we've become as a whole, together with ongoing technology advancements. So if you want to see all of his stand-ups, still recommended, and you can expect some true goodness.

Louie ck isn't your everyday comedian. you see that in hilarious. during this performance i thought he seemed off/not himself. maybe he had a lot on his mind. or high/drunk. you get vibes from him that he's winging it and a bunch of times he loses his train of thought or says something like "i am losing my mind". its hilarious how he tries to composes himself. he does not give a crap. his comedy is like therapy. he talks about marriage, children, fatness, ... its cool how he relates comedy to deep issues.... i don't know really what else to say besides anybody who is a Louie ck fan should see this. it truly will knock your socks off whatever the hell that means

Louis C.K.'s latest comedy concert film is Hilarious, the first ever stand-up documentary to be accepted at Sundance. The film is economically produced--C.K. does his own direction and editing--and spends much of its time in a mid shot of C.K.'s face; content is everything here.Whatever its personal implications, C.K.'s recent divorce is a great development for his comedy: it allows him to take his trademark pessimism on dates, to the gym, and even to the club. He pares incredulous contempt for beautiful people with his own healthy self-loathing--but because this is Louis C.K, he absolutely never pities himself. In fact, many of his best barbs are aimed at the entitled and ungrateful among us: among other great jabs, this film contains his now-famous "chair in the sky" airplane routine.Much of his best and most human material is derived from life as a father; he invokes his daughters with a disarming love and respect, while realistically explicating the more disgusting elements of parenthood. This too benefits from his recent divorce, as it serves to alienate him even further from contemporary dating.There is also a fair number of shock laughs, of course--at one point C.K tellingly acknowledges that upsetting people makes him laugh. And that in itself is the great appeal of Louis C.K.'s comedy, that we can bond over the idea that nothing good will ever happen to anyone and then find humor in it. Hilarious is all about finding laughs in pessimism, and it demonstrates what a hilarious performer C.K. is. -TK 9/22/10