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8.3
User score
Universal Acclaim
positive
195(85%)
mixed
11(5%)
negative
24(10%)
Showing 46 User Reviews
Jan 31, 2025
9
A beautiful Netflix special. I knew Burnham was funny, but wow, he really punched me right in the feels. He perfectly incapsulated feelings of being quarantined and balanced that with catchy and funny songs. I haven't felt this moved by a piece of media in so long. Great job, Bo. Also you should probably see a therapist.
May 23, 2024
10
just wow. Bo Burnhams inside is immaculate. shot very well, the music is hilarious and actually sounds great, comedy is hilarious yet not as focused. This movie is mostly comedic songs but in every song there is a hint of Bo's decaying mental health which not only represents him but also the whole world once the world shut down. he talks about billionaires, comedy itself, getting older, the internet and social media, and just the world. its hilarious yet ominous. It's not exactly laugh out loud funny but it is very clever. Every time I watch this movie it takes me back in time being stuck in my room....there is much more to say about it. I laughed. I cried. I questioned everything and nothing at all. this movie is amazing. (also why is this called a show on metacritic?)
Feb 11, 2024
9
Bo does it again! Visuals are great. Jokes are real but funny. It's very good at making you feel like a piece of **** but at least it connects you with other pieces of ****.
Jan 25, 2024
9
A genuinely analytical and oftentimes self-critical examination of modern culture, mental health, anxiety, and more. While I do think at times the commentary itself ends up feeling a little surface level, the overall package comes together very well.
Jan 20, 2024
10
I was not familiar with Bo Burnham, but watched this just not (2024 already) after hearing someone mention it in a YouTube long-form video. I had no idea what to expect. I thought it was brilliant. Plenty of clever and thoughtful songs. It is even more impressive in light of it being a one person project.
Apr 29, 2023
10
This film not only captures the pure boredom and panic of living in isolation during COVID-19, but also lets you know of the everyday life of the generations of Millennials and the Z. While watching this film, I had saw an arc in him, having a content state of mind when he actually starts the project, to denial to get it completed, anxiety to even speak in camera, crying tears in depression, and finally acceptance of the film actually being in completion. You’re in the journey, you’re stuck with him, and it feels like you’re with him for a long time.
Apr 25, 2023
10
This Movie is fantastic! All of the songs are delightfull, and it shows the whole Covid-19 pandemic extremly well. Well done Bo!
Feb 17, 2023
10
This is perfection. It encapsulates the 2020s pandemic era of life in a funny, depressing and introspective musical special!
Jan 27, 2023
10
this is among the best specials i've ever seen. even the outtakes were good. bo is unbelievable.
Jul 16, 2022
10
Is a nonesense and a Masterpiece, is a reflection of the last years of my life and of lots of people worldwide.
May 31, 2022
10
This special will surely go down in history as a go to reference for what it was like at the start of the pandemic for so many of us. An absolute masterpiece of humor, introspection, and a look inside the human condition.
Mar 15, 2022
9
Bo Burnham knows how to make good specials. This movie captures quarantine and its impact on us perfectly with catchy, yet really deep and meaningful songs
Dec 27, 2021
2
Neo-liberal trash. Selling the aesthetics of leftism without doing anything to support anyone. This movie is faux deep surface level observations to make those without critical thought believe they are able to think for themselves. Often playing into negative stereotypes for jokes but then scolding the viewer for doing so later on in his works. He glories suicide and depression using it as a punchline without supplying actual resources until the very end of the special.
Dec 5, 2021
10
Entertaining, fun, funny, hilarious, and sadly, sad special, it's wonderful, amazingly amazing, good, great, with catchy songs
Nov 24, 2021
7
While I do appreciate how different it is and it was interesting to watch, I did feel it isn't what I expected as not all of it felt like comedy, but some of it felt like commentary about the situation of lockdown etc and a bit about depression etc. Maybe didn't watch it correctly prepared.
Nov 10, 2021
10
To call this a comedy special does it a disservice. It has moments that fit within this box, but these are equally balanced with sections of chilling depictions of pandemic life, commentary on current events, and peeks into the process of producing this masterpiece as a one-man team.
Aug 27, 2021
10
Honesty is rare in current enterteinement, but Bo somehow made honesty a form of enterteiment in itself. This is pure art in it's purest modern form. Amazing
Aug 22, 2021
10
This is ART. I've watched almost 10 times and every time I find something new. Bo has great comedy shows already but this is amazing. You may watch once and enjoy it but I swear on repeat visits this netflix special just keeps giving. It's like a Tool or Mars Volta song. Every line has 12 meanings.
Aug 19, 2021
9
perfect
[ adjective, noun pur-fikt; verb per-fekt ] adjective
conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type:
a perfect sphere;
a perfect gentleman.
Aug 10, 2021
6
If you go into “Bo Burnham: Inside” with the wrong mindset, you will hate it, but if have the right attitude, it might just change your life. First off, this is basically a 90 minute concert, but the songs and production are just really clever and with the backdrop of quarantine, it has real emotional impact. I give it a C, if you've already seen the best, but you insist on watching a movie, try this one out.
Aug 3, 2021
10
The first time I watched this, I loved it and recommended it to everyone I could. The second time I watched, I got the songs stuck in my head and couldn't stop singing them to myself. After the third time, I had to quit Bo Burnham cold turkey, as I could not figure out how to get his songs out of my head. Highly recommended.
Jul 25, 2021
10
Both funny and sad, a true master piece loved by a lot of angsty teens. A perfect combination between songs and spoken parts
Jul 19, 2021
10
Bo Burnham's Inside deserves an Emmy. While I always thought he was really clever with all of his previous work, the swift piano jingles weren't really my preferred flavor of comedy.
Inside however is a whole different level, infused with a majority share of extreme introspection that will speak to many. And while it was always impressive how he was such a talented musician and songwriter AND found a way to combine that into comedy, Inside evolves that into a full blown production. Bo Burnham stuck in a house for a year with lights, cameras, and audio/video software gives you a hefty dose of modern art.
It's a great problem to have but I don't think he'll ever be able to top it in his career going forward. The only people who won't like this are the people are greatly differ to some of his political viewpoints, and the people who were expecting comedy club material rather than dark comedy poking at the existential darkness that surrounds us.
Jul 12, 2021
9
Comedy that makes you think and feel! Beautiful singing and great satire! Brilliant!
Jul 10, 2021
10
This is a profound work of art. It made me laugh, and then cry, and then emotionally broken.
Jul 10, 2021
10
Quite simply, the best thing I've seen since the pandemic started and maybe going much further back than that. So creative, so many layers and so much more than just a 'comedy special'. I've watched it 5 times in 2 weeks and had the album on repeat. It should be nominated for 'best film' at the Oscars.
Jul 8, 2021
10
Bo Burnham Inside is an amazing work from the youngish comedian. It's hard to call it a "comedy special" or "concert", it is definitely the definition of a "one man show". It's kind of a visual Rorschach test of Burnham' s mind during isolation due to the pandemic. He satirizes our dependency with our phones, with jabs at face-timing with his mom, sexting, Instagram "**** he also becomes self contemplative more and more as time and isolation continues. Suicide, deep rooted anxiety, depression come up, and we get to share the saddest birthday "celebration" I've ever seen. It's **** (he is playing with himself for the year or so), yet universal at the same time. Can't wait to see what he does next.
Jul 1, 2021
10
Not everybody's tastes are the same but this is what I call a masterpiece. There is nothing like this.
Jun 24, 2021
10
The almost entirely self-made "Inside" by Bo Burnham is a marvel. "Inside" truly captures the current young American perspective on life. Focusing on the mental state and feelings of people like Robert Pickering "Bo" Burnham, mainly young adults. His mental anguish articulated on screen for those to relate to and empathize with. From the obvious to the obscure the references to societal issues as well as poking fun at the group itself are pungent and at times depressing. Inevitably there will be those who dislike Bo Burnhams's "Inside" because of its instant acclaim and somewhat off-putting vibes. Although I suspect many people will not like "Inside" for its entertainment value no one will be able to take away its clearly assiduous creation. Mister Burnham's direction with "Inside" is nothing short of a purposeful strive to artistic perfection through suffering.
Jun 22, 2021
10
Thoughtful, funny, provoking, mind altering. It made me think, it made me laugh, it made me wonder about what was real and staged. It might resonate with me due to some cultural references but this is a solid work of comedic art.
Jun 20, 2021
7
You can't doubt the man's talent, but for me this is a very patchy affair. There are perhaps 5 or 6 genuinely funny/insightful "sketches" but the rest is mostly self-referential filler and I was bored for long stretches of time. I also found it very self-indulgent, self-absorbed and preachy and I'm unconvinced that Bo Burnham is half as smart as he thinks he is. Having said that to create and edit all this content himself is a major achievement and captures the weird lockdown days succinctly.
Jun 19, 2021
9
I have no words. This belongs in a museum. It accomplishes so much with so little. I’ll definitely have to watch again to fully absorb it.
Jun 15, 2021
10
A masterpiece. One of the best things I’ve ever watched. Much more than a comedy special.
Jun 12, 2021
4
Introspection? A little, yes.
I think we all had our fair share in this pandemic. The rest is a brutal exercise in self-absorption and narcissism. Not because you have a public platform and a mic, does it mean you have something meaningful to say.
Jun 11, 2021
9
Imagine being such a disingenuous and partisan person that even if you don’t find it funny or clever, which it is, that you can’t recognize or respect the difficulty and craftsmanship enough to give it anything higher than a 2.
Jun 7, 2021
10
This comedy special that is not quite comedy and not quite a special, is a grand reflection on what it means to be human and what it means to be trapped inside our own heads.
Jun 7, 2021
0
I loved his earlier work, but he has been away from comedy for a few years now and it shows. To call this a comedy special is generous. I get what he was trying to do and the constraints he was under when trying to make it, but I feel like he just shouldn't have made it. It's political in all the wrong ways. The material seems undeveloped and is bowing to political pressures. If you actually know comedy and want something that will give you a laugh, this is not it. I really hope he reflects upon this thing that he made and gives it another go. I used to think he was brilliant. This has made me feel that maybe he has nothing left to say.
Jun 7, 2021
10
This is so strangely beautiful. Every shot is masterfully done. All the zooms are done so well that they had to be hand programmed in. All the songs are catchy interesting fun, funny. The use of color to show emotions is masterfully done. He somehow makes a 30 yr old in his room the most compelling film of 2021
Jun 6, 2021
10
witty, dark, funny but most of all it's so human it's shocking. from the moment it starts till the end of the special bo burnham takes the "audience" with him through this past year and he does it in the most painfully sad way that is so real it evokes emotion in the person behind the screen.
Jun 6, 2021
10
this show is absolutely amazing
I've never seen any writing and performance like this let alone by a single person
bo is beyond any of us
Jun 6, 2021
10
Absolutely genius. One of the best stand up specials I have seen in years. I wasn't a big fan previously but I've had to re-evaluate him as a comic completely.
Jun 5, 2021
10
A must watch pandemic special! The best thing to come out in this last, terrible, year.
Jun 4, 2021
3
Forgettable. I don’t understand the acclaim. The best thing about this is how well it was filmed, but the content itself was mediocre. I found myself bored through the majority of the special, which is strange for me because I tend to laugh pretty easily at most kinds of comedy. Would not recommend this to anyone, even people I know who’ve seen his earlier specials.
Jun 3, 2021
10
Eighth Grade was very good but inside steps up his directing by tenfold. This like a mix of Weird Al and Mark Rubillet had a baby.