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Death at a Funeral (2007)

Director: Frank Oz

Time Out rating

Average user rating

33 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Scatological grue, nudity, swearing, drug-taking and the chance to watch two grown men wrestle a midget… Despite the Farrelly accoutrements, Frank Oz’s first film in three years since his clunking remake of ‘The Stepford Wives’ plays it safe to remain a very British comedy – contained, modestly amusing and guaranteed not to offend your mother. Parking his drawing-room farce at a country-house funeral, Dean Craig’s schematic screenplay invites an eccentric group of family and friends – all good breeding and bad language – and duly cranks them, with increasing mania, through a series of overlapping disaster set-ups. The son (Matthew Macfadyen) is a wannabe writer sweating his eulogy in the shadow of his hotshot novelist brother (Rupert Graves). The mourning widow (Jane Asher) is primed to crack at any moment. The cousin’s (Daisy Donovan) attempts to make her disapproving father (Peter Egan) warm to fiancé (Alan Tudyk) aren’t helped with he accidentally pops a hallucinogenic party pill.

You get the picture: complications, confusion, desperation and embarrassment, all spiked with a twist of blackmail. Right at home with energetic slapstick (see ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ and ‘What About Bob?’), Oz can roll out this sort of frantic, stagey comedy in his sleep – and so he does. But, thanks to a streak of dark mirth, the result is predictable but rarely dull. Showboating roles go to the Americans, with Tudyk gurning heroically throughout the entire film and Peter Dinklage pulling an effortless cameo as the obligatory mystery guest with a dark secret.

Author: Jonathan Crocker

Time Out London Issue 1941: October 31-November 6

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User reviews of this film

Alison said...

Posted on Jun 09 2010 20:07 I would advise everyone to watch the Engish version of this film. I did many years ago and it is hysterical. This version is nothing compared to the English version. The little man played the same part in both films!!!

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Mal said...

Posted on Jun 08 2010 18:32 This was the worst film I have ever, ever,ever seen. Just not funny.

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Harry said...

Posted on Jun 05 2010 12:20 Couldn't have enjoyed it more, the writing is superb, laughs are well paced and spread throughout, and the actors pull off their comedy marks without a single step wrong, Fantastic.

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John said...

Posted on Feb 26 2010 00:28 I don't laugh that easily at comedies but this one got to me. I believe the member of the cast that stloe the show was the guy that unknowingly ingested the acid. His facial expressions were quite priceless. This film was not THAT bad as to receive so many horrible comments. Seems like a secret conspiracy is happening here. And I think Ashley meant "pathetic". I think her spelling might match her taste in films.

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Jim said...

Posted on Nov 16 2009 16:23 .fgh

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Lydia said...

Posted on Nov 16 2009 16:22 Rented this on dvd last weekend, was an incredible waste of time and money...just awful.

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lee said...

Posted on Nov 16 2009 16:20 BALLS

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Cal said...

Posted on Nov 16 2009 16:20 SO BAD I WANTED TO CRY

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Rachel said...

Posted on Nov 16 2009 16:18 Truely THE worst film I have seen for atleast 15 odd years...

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Ann said...

Posted on Jul 22 2008 02:27 My daughter and I had several good screaming laughs, and didn't mind the weak points. As a rental movie, we weren't expecting too much, and we were thoroughly entertained. Enjoyed all the actors, and the country setting.

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bcat said...

Posted on Apr 27 2008 11:22 Just caught up with this one on DVD. It's polarised audiences everywhere as far as I can see. My point of view from this Sydney living room - let me tell you, this is one horribly feeble film. Laugh? If you find Benny Hill, On the Buses and Dad's Army a scream, then you'll love it. But not for me. Lame, predictable, embarrassing - more torture in 90 minutes than I experienced even with Russian Ark, my previous low water mark. I don't think I even smiled once, let alone laugh, which you'd have to say is significant for a comedy.

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michele said...

Posted on Apr 06 2008 07:20 Shit on his hands from incontinent uncle .HAHAHAA!!! Hilarious ,,,, need I say more? Jeez what a horrible film!

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Jean said...

Posted on Mar 08 2008 20:59 I cannot believe anyone found this movie "hysterical" -- I love most British comedies and found this to be one of the worst I have ever seen!! Forced and upappealing, redundant, boring and most of allm unfunny.

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Joe said...

Posted on Feb 02 2008 03:17 Wow! Seriously the worst film i've ever seen - and I've seen plenty of howlers. Only see if you want to witness first-hand the depths to which a (mostly good) cast can plummet, and come out all looking terrible, except possibly Daisy Donovan, who is about the only decent thing in this wretched movie. What were Time Out thinking in their review of this film? Did they really see the same film I have just had the misfortune to have witnessed. Tosh. And that is a praise too much. A sad and safe waste of time and money. No more like this, please!

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Nick said...

Posted on Jan 01 2008 08:28 This was fantsctic fun and I can't recommend highly enough. Far better the the usual 'best comedy' with one
funny clip used for the trailer drose on offer most on the time

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