Review of Death at a Funeral (2007) by John E — 29 Apr 2011

Death At A Funeral was a great comedy that is filled with an unbelievable story that causes a remarkable comedic feel through the course of the film. Though the entire plot, with the exception of the funeral itself, was so over the top yet intricately intertwined enough to make it plausible. The acting, though many unknown stepped in front of the camera, were remarkably well placed into their roles and played them so well that the performances can considered nothing less than genuine. The direction was at the mercy of the cast as was the script. If this was not portrayed in the correct light it could have been left in shambles, but it was far from it.

The direction of the film by Frank Oz (The Stepford Wives) was something that had to dip into his true talents because if he had not been able to get the most out of his cast, then the film could have been an utter disaster. Luckily for him, he was able to employ great chemistry amongst them, getting ample performances from every actor. The real talent came with this meshing of different talents and experience. But on the other hand with a script this strong and deliverable, it was not hard to fit the actors into their respective roles.

The script by Dean Craig (Caffeine) was absolutely hilarious. The sequence of events was so over the top yet so within the realm of reality that it made them even funnier. The basic concept of ruining a funeral is hard to conceive, but done in the right taste is tolerable and even appropriate. Given the fact that this one is putting forth such a valiant effort, the script can be considered none other than a good concept surrounding people with high morale facing humiliating situations. One thing leads to another and it continues to snowball, making it a hilarious, yet almost painful to watch for simple amusement.

This ensemble cast was absolutely hilarious. It is impossible to compliment all of them considering there were so many, but the real memorable ones consisted of Alan Tudyk (Knocked Up) who was an accidental drug addict, Andy Nyman (Played) as a babbling and worrisome odd member out, and the sons of the deceased Matthew Macfadyen (Grindhouse) and Rupert Graves (V for Vendetta). These were the main standouts of the cast although it should be noted that they were cast into the funnier roles. There was no real one standout amongst these professionals. Though these were funnier roles, the entire cast contributed heavily to the support of these characters and without the set-ups or mischievous actions, the roles would not have been as funny. The main vocal point that should be noted is the chemistry that the cast was able to project into the mind of the viewer. It was positively amazing and made for a better overall film because it helped to adapt the film into a believable point of reference.

This film was positively one of the most warped satires that has ever been presented to the screen. With a dash of humanity and comical, yet tasteful genius, the entire crew presented a worthy comedy for viewing. If had not been for the tasteful nature of the members involved, it could have very far south. Instead we are left with an over the top comedy that leaves any viewer with a good sense of humor speechless, yet laughing at the same time.