From acclaimed director Frank Oz (In & Out, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) comes “a fast, furious and riotously funny farce” (Maxim) that’ll have you dying with laughter!
As the mourners and guests at a British country manor struggle valiantly to “keep a stiff upper lip,” a dignified ceremony devolves into a hilarious, no-holds-barred debacle of misplaced cadavers, indecent exposure, and shocking family secrets. Packed with extras including audio commentaries and an uproarious gag reel, Death at a Funeral blows the lid off the proverbial coffin as “the film’s delicious comic flourishes… sight gags, slapstick, flawless timing… are served up by an outstanding cast” (O, The Oprah Magazine).Though it doesn’t hit the same comic heights as Bowfinger, Death at a Funeral is a fun little romp. Granted, not all of the characters are meant to be humorous, like Daniel (Matthew Macfadyen, Pride & Prejudice) and his wife, Jane (Keeley Hawes, Tristram Shandy), straight-faced foils for the more over-the-top performers. After Daniel’s father passes away, the couple offers to host the funeral, so all his relatives descend on the family abode, including Daniel’s estranged brother, Robert (Rupert Graves, V for Vendetta). The mood is already tense when their cousin, Martha (Daisy Donovan), arrives with her nervous fiancé, Simon (Alan Tudyk, Serenity). On the way over, Simon takes a Valium that’s actually a hallucinogenic concoction cooked up by Martha’s pharmacology student brother. By the time they arrive, Simon’s inhibitions are gone with the wind. Other guests include Uncle Alfie (Peter Vaughn) and an uninvited American mourner (Peter Dinklage). By the end of the movie, one of these individuals will be dead. Though he’s worked in the States for several decades, director Frank Oz was born in the UK, and Death at a Funeral feels like the work of a British filmmaker. As drawing room comedies go, it may not rival Arsenic and Old Lace, but it’s still funnier than most. If the film has a flaw, it’s one misjudged moment of scatological humor, which is sure to induce more cringes than giggles. Fortunately, it’s over quickly, and Tudyk’s hilarious performance provides ample compensation. –Kathleen C. Fennessy
Beyond Death at a Funeral
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Stills from Death at a Funeral
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Buy “Death at a Funeral” For Only $8.74
April 14, 2008
#1
I suppose this type of humor isn’t for me as I barely cracked a smile throughout the course of the entire movie. This movie presents you with uncomfortable situations and expects you to laugh nervously.
April 14, 2008
#2
Are you kidding me? Is this seriously a professional film?
I can’t think of a worse way to spend 2 hours of my life!
April 14, 2008
#3
What a disappointment. My wife and I sat through an hour of this sad excuse for a comedy and didn’t laught once. If your idea of hilarity includes the wrong coffin being delivered to a funeral, an old man in a wheelchair using the f-word, or accidental ingestion of halucinogenic drugs, knock yourself out. My recommendation: don’t bother. You have much better things to do with a couple of hours.
April 14, 2008
#4
I saw this movie on a reccomendation from a friend. It was boring, predictable, and the jokes were just trite. Slapstick comedy in the worst way, and there was not an ounce of wit to the script whatsoever. It presented filler situations such as a drug trip, some crass old man in a wheelchair, etc…and tried to pass it off as humor.
I expected a witty British comedy, but what you have is a poorly done American comedy disguised as a British comedy. Do not waste your time.
April 14, 2008
#5
I cannot recall any other time in my life where I watched a comedy and did not laugh a single time. It was beyond strange – it was freakish. And they had the cast and a pretty good plot (if unoriginal)to pull off a rather good comedy…. The only reason I gave it 1 star is because I had to rank it for the review to be accepted.