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Death at a Funeral (2007)

Director: Frank Oz

Time Out rating

Average user rating

24 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 2007-10-29 17:37:02

Time Out London Issue 1941: October 31-November 6

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User reviews of this film

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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joel said...

Posted on Nov 27 2007 20:45 That was the worst film review I've ever read. Thank you for wasting my time.

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JOHN said...

Posted on Nov 23 2007 17:26 This is a very poor film indeed. I walked away from the cinema very disappointed.

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ashley said...

Posted on Nov 20 2007 13:59 this film had to be the biggest load of shit i have ever seen. n ive seen a lot of films.....Why would you think watching a funeral for the full lenght of the film would be amusing...PEFETIC. DO NOT GO AND SEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! trust me ...ashley..xxxxxx

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Steve said...

Posted on Nov 15 2007 17:01 If you thought this summer's 'Knocked Up' US spawned comedy block buter to be an overrated load of tosh then you will enjoy this home bred black comedy, Death At A Funeral. This is classic British 'Ealing' comedy at its modern best with an all British Cast too. What more can one say. Amusing to watch, highly improbable, yet at times plausible considering the eccentricity of being British, You will leave the auditoriam smiling!

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Eskupey said...

Posted on Nov 15 2007 15:32 this is borin borin borin cinema is crap and brap man!
Smells.
Dont go and see it u will b bored out of your mind!!!
xxx Eskapey xx

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Ben said...

Posted on Nov 14 2007 15:09 looks awesome will go and see it

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Madeleine said...

Posted on Nov 13 2007 11:34 Great British Comedy, definitely a laugh a minute. Although the title doesn't give anything away about the actual film, don't be put of. Have patience give it 10 minutes and the film will not fail to have you rolling around in your seats.
I wouldn't trust anyone that watched this film and didn't laugh out loud.
With only one relatively crude scene the rest is just hilarious. Frank Oz is a legend!

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Mike said...

Posted on Nov 12 2007 21:27 Went to see this film not really sure what to expect. I'll cut to the chase- I found myself quite enjoying it, although some of the jokes got old quite quickly (namely the hallucinogenic joke), and the plot and jokes were painfully predictable, it was still a laugh. Not in the same league as Pegg and Frost's offerings however non-the-less a reasonable stab at the brit-com.

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Julie said...

Posted on Nov 11 2007 16:52 Went and saw this film, not really knowing what to expect, except a black comedy. Well it certainly delivered. Typical British farce and why not. It built up slowly, drawing you along a fairly predictable plot. But that just added to the fun. It became a true laugh out loud experience. An enjoyable film.

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