Can We Take a Joke? – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Can We Take a Joke?

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2016

38%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A documentary arguing that outrage culture is killing comedy—featuring comedians who've made careers out of offensive jokes.

53%

6.7

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Can We Take a Joke?

movie

2016

38%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A documentary arguing that outrage culture is killing comedy—featuring comedians who've made careers out of offensive jokes.

53%

6.7

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53%

6.7

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is a niche documentary for adults who want to engage with the 'can we still tell offensive jokes?' debate. If you're into free speech philosophy or the mechanics of comedy, it might be worth your time.

That said, it's pretty one-note—essentially a 74-minute argument that outrage culture has gone too far, featuring comedians whose careers depend on that being true. You're not going to get a balanced exploration of when offense is legitimate or how marginalized communities experience 'just jokes.'

The 2016 release also means it's pre-#MeToo, pre-2020, pre-a lot of cultural shifts that have deepened these conversations. Some of it will feel like arguing about yesterday's Twitter fight.

Bottom line: Adults only, and even then, only if you're genuinely interested in this specific corner of the culture wars. Not entertaining enough to watch casually, not balanced enough to be truly educational. It's fine for what it is, but what it is, is pretty limited.

Age Fit

This is exclusively for adults (18+) interested in free speech debates, comedy, and social discourse. The entire premise involves discussing offensive material, making it inappropriate for teens or younger viewers regardless of maturity level.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This documentary explores outrage culture and free speech through stand-up comedy, featuring comedians known for deliberately offensive material. While it models civil discourse about controversial topics, the subject matter inherently involves discussion of offensive jokes, social conflict, and censorship debates. The tone is confrontational rather than cooperative, and it's designed to provoke rather than comfort—appropriate for its adult documentary format but not emotionally healthy for younger viewers.

Imaginative

The documentary takes a specific angle on free speech and comedy, examining how social media has changed public discourse. It invites viewers to think critically about where lines should be drawn and challenges conventional thinking about offense and censorship. However, it's more argumentative than exploratory, presenting a particular viewpoint rather than genuinely open-ended inquiry. It doesn't invite creative expression or building—it's a watch-and-think piece.

Safe

Given the subject matter—a documentary about offensive comedy—this inherently includes discussion and likely examples of jokes involving sensitive topics (race, religion, tragedy, etc.). The comedians featured (Gilbert Gottfried, Lisa Lampanelli, Adam Carolla) are known for boundary-pushing material. While it's a documentary format rather than graphic content, parents would need to expect mature themes, offensive language, and potentially disturbing discussion of controversial topics. No content rating is provided, which is a red flag for safety assessment.

Enriching

For mature viewers interested in free speech, comedy, and social discourse, this offers legitimate intellectual engagement with important First Amendment questions. It provides insight into how social media has changed public conversation and the tension between free expression and community standards. The 6.7 TMDB rating suggests moderate reception. However, it presents a fairly one-sided argument and may not offer balanced perspectives on when offense is legitimate versus performative. Limited entertainment value beyond the intellectual debate.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Tackles genuinely important questions about free speech, censorship, and where society should draw lines
Features well-known comedians with strong perspectives on the topic
Could spark meaningful conversations about social media's impact on public discourse
Short runtime (74 minutes) makes it accessible for those interested in the topic

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What to Watch For

This is 100% an adult documentary—discussion of offensive jokes means offensive content will be present
Presents a fairly one-sided 'anti-cancel culture' perspective without much balance
Some comedians featured are known for deliberately provocative, boundary-pushing material
The 2016 release means some references may feel dated in today's rapidly evolving discourse
Without a content rating, hard to know exactly how explicit the examples get

Conversation Starters

"Where do you think the line is between free speech and harmful speech?"
"How has social media changed the way we respond to things that offend us?"
"Do you think comedians should be able to joke about anything, or are some topics off-limits?"
"What's the difference between punching up and punching down in comedy?"

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