Death At the Funeral: A Review
It’s been long since I had watched a real good movie. So few days back a friend suggested “Death at the funeral”. For sure the name wasn’t interesting enough for a comedy movie. Well I decided to give it a try as I had nothing else left for the weekend. Here I present a small narration of this beautiful piece of comedy a true moviegoer’s delight!
The movie is about the son, Daniel, belonging to British upper middle class who wants to give funeral for his father. The funeral day starts with the wrong coffin being brought to the house. Well, the mismanagement is set right swiftly by the coffin bearers but it sets the stage for the things to come.
So we have Daniel’s wife, more concerned about the advance required for a new flat. His spoilt brother, Robert, who pretends poverty when asked to share funeral expenses, even though he is a well read novelist. Daniel’s mother who while in grief never misses a chance to taunt her daughter-in-law.
And if these characters were not enough to grasp our attention throughout, we also have cousins Troy and, Martha along with her fiancé Simon, friend Howard, Uncle Alfie and a stranger. All characters of different shades are sure to set your funny bone tickling.
Daniel, living under the shadow of his famous novelist brother is also nervous of giving the eulogy and his mood is also dampened by the overheard hushed tones of disapproval.
The reverend, a rather busy man, wants to go through everything in time, but Alas!! He is expecting a bit too much.
Howard is given the task of bringing Uncle Alfie, a handicapped cantankerous individual, and he tries to put his best foot forward to please the old chap. But Uncle never has a smile to spare for this poor fellow and the reactions from Alfie leave you in splits of laughter.
We also have Simon who is too nervous to meet his father-in-law at the funeral, so Martha gives him few of his brother’s Valium (a tranquilizer to relieve anxiety). However his dear brother, a small time drugs discoverer, had put some hallucinating drugs in the valium bottle. Simon never fails to impress you, a perfect act of stupidity I would say, literally!
Among all these characters we have the poor reverend who heaves a sigh of relief as Uncle arrives and tries to rush through the funeral ceremony. But Simon, to onlookers utter shock, suddenly realizes the movement of coffin and rushes towards it, and out comes the body! Utter chaos reigns for next few minutes. A chaos depicted excellently by all the renowned actors and you would never feel chaotic.
By the way, we forgot the stranger dwarf whom nobody knows. Now he gets his chance to have a few words with Daniel. To Daniel’s and Robert’s utter shock they realize that this minor had a pretty GOOD relationship with their father, and he has some very valid photographs to prove his point. However a huge amount can set their worry to rest; but Daniel showing a brave (from jealousy) front suddenly decides not to give a single penny. Some arguments later they tie the unwanted guest with ropes and put some so called valium in his mouth. Next thing is the dead dwarf!
Meanwhile outside, Simon has created a ruckus by deciding to jump from the rooftop, and Martha trying to persuade him to the contrary. So finding the time suitable the brother’s along with Howard and Troy put the second deceased inside their father’s coffin. They were made for each other. Practically!
The scene now calms down with Martha able to persuade Simon, and the ceremony begins again!! It looks to be neat affair now, but, fate still had other things in mind. The stranger apparently wasn’t dead and the coffin breaks open!! The photographs buried along with get noticed by Daniel’s mother.
So we have scared onlookers, a shocked mother, stupidly happy Simon, dumbfounded brothers and the coffin breaker hallucinating stranger. What happens now?
Well I don’t want to reveal it, as words cannot depict what action can say. Watch it yourself.
The movie is an amalgamation of confusion, embarrassment, complications, blackmailing and desperation beautifully depicted in a humorous plot which moves at an easy pace to a praiseworthy conclusion. The brother’s effort to both let the funeral and the ‘dark’ secret pass through peacefully is depicted well enough.
The casting although contains no big stars, but works magic for the screenplay, as nobody overshadows. Kudos for Frank’s (director) comic mastermind for accommodating so many cameos, each lending credence to the plot. I personally love the hallucinating effects of Valium on Simon; however Frank could have done without the continuous swearing by Uncle Alfie.
A mind numbing performance by the whole crew including the screen writer and director makes you hungry for more. So going for a funeral may not be an entirely sad affair. Don’t believe me, go watch this and prove me on the contrary.
The movie is about the son, Daniel, belonging to British upper middle class who wants to give funeral for his father. The funeral day starts with the wrong coffin being brought to the house. Well, the mismanagement is set right swiftly by the coffin bearers but it sets the stage for the things to come.
So we have Daniel’s wife, more concerned about the advance required for a new flat. His spoilt brother, Robert, who pretends poverty when asked to share funeral expenses, even though he is a well read novelist. Daniel’s mother who while in grief never misses a chance to taunt her daughter-in-law.
And if these characters were not enough to grasp our attention throughout, we also have cousins Troy and, Martha along with her fiancé Simon, friend Howard, Uncle Alfie and a stranger. All characters of different shades are sure to set your funny bone tickling.
Daniel, living under the shadow of his famous novelist brother is also nervous of giving the eulogy and his mood is also dampened by the overheard hushed tones of disapproval.
The reverend, a rather busy man, wants to go through everything in time, but Alas!! He is expecting a bit too much.
Howard is given the task of bringing Uncle Alfie, a handicapped cantankerous individual, and he tries to put his best foot forward to please the old chap. But Uncle never has a smile to spare for this poor fellow and the reactions from Alfie leave you in splits of laughter.
We also have Simon who is too nervous to meet his father-in-law at the funeral, so Martha gives him few of his brother’s Valium (a tranquilizer to relieve anxiety). However his dear brother, a small time drugs discoverer, had put some hallucinating drugs in the valium bottle. Simon never fails to impress you, a perfect act of stupidity I would say, literally!
Among all these characters we have the poor reverend who heaves a sigh of relief as Uncle arrives and tries to rush through the funeral ceremony. But Simon, to onlookers utter shock, suddenly realizes the movement of coffin and rushes towards it, and out comes the body! Utter chaos reigns for next few minutes. A chaos depicted excellently by all the renowned actors and you would never feel chaotic.
By the way, we forgot the stranger dwarf whom nobody knows. Now he gets his chance to have a few words with Daniel. To Daniel’s and Robert’s utter shock they realize that this minor had a pretty GOOD relationship with their father, and he has some very valid photographs to prove his point. However a huge amount can set their worry to rest; but Daniel showing a brave (from jealousy) front suddenly decides not to give a single penny. Some arguments later they tie the unwanted guest with ropes and put some so called valium in his mouth. Next thing is the dead dwarf!
Meanwhile outside, Simon has created a ruckus by deciding to jump from the rooftop, and Martha trying to persuade him to the contrary. So finding the time suitable the brother’s along with Howard and Troy put the second deceased inside their father’s coffin. They were made for each other. Practically!
The scene now calms down with Martha able to persuade Simon, and the ceremony begins again!! It looks to be neat affair now, but, fate still had other things in mind. The stranger apparently wasn’t dead and the coffin breaks open!! The photographs buried along with get noticed by Daniel’s mother.
So we have scared onlookers, a shocked mother, stupidly happy Simon, dumbfounded brothers and the coffin breaker hallucinating stranger. What happens now?
Well I don’t want to reveal it, as words cannot depict what action can say. Watch it yourself.
The movie is an amalgamation of confusion, embarrassment, complications, blackmailing and desperation beautifully depicted in a humorous plot which moves at an easy pace to a praiseworthy conclusion. The brother’s effort to both let the funeral and the ‘dark’ secret pass through peacefully is depicted well enough.
The casting although contains no big stars, but works magic for the screenplay, as nobody overshadows. Kudos for Frank’s (director) comic mastermind for accommodating so many cameos, each lending credence to the plot. I personally love the hallucinating effects of Valium on Simon; however Frank could have done without the continuous swearing by Uncle Alfie.
A mind numbing performance by the whole crew including the screen writer and director makes you hungry for more. So going for a funeral may not be an entirely sad affair. Don’t believe me, go watch this and prove me on the contrary.
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