| Tickling Giants | |
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Poster | |
| Directed by | Sara Taksler |
| Written by | Sara Taksler |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Wail Gzoly |
| Music by | Paul Tyan |
Release date |
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Running time | 111 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages |
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| Box office | $51,500 [1] |
Tickling Giants is a 2017 American documentary film directed by Sara Taksler, about the story of Bassem Youssef, who, in the midst of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, left his job as a heart surgeon to become a full-time comedian. Dubbed "The Egyptian Jon Stewart," Bassem creates the satirical show Al Bernameg . Tickling Giants follows the team of Al Bernameg as they endure physical threats, protests, and legal action as a result of the show.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 100% approval rating based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads, "Tickling Giants offers a powerful demonstration of how satire can influence government policy – and a sobering warning regarding the double-edged effects of regime change." [2] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 78 out of 100 based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [3] Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote, "Mostly, the movie makes you understand how every society – and ours more than ever – needs people like Bassem Youssef to demonstrate that laughter will always be one of the essential ways to keep power in check." [4]