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Death at a Funeral (2007)

Director: Frank Oz

Time Out rating

Average user rating

29 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

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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Sophie said...

Posted on Nov 09 2007 15:19 Boring

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Lemmy said...

Posted on Nov 08 2007 21:37 I found this film very funny, comparing it to Four Weddings is just pointless. It may have a simple plot and maybe a bit predictable but we like the familiarity and it's British.

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marc w said...

Posted on Nov 05 2007 16:48 Trite, poorly written, acted and directed. The script is so obvious that you always know what's coming next. A waste of time for the cast and audience alike. Very poor.

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Jenna said...

Posted on Nov 05 2007 08:52 A brilliant British comedy altough what else can you expcect with actrors such as Jane Asher and Peter Vaughan. Lost of laughs highly recommended

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Ella J said...

Posted on Nov 04 2007 15:36 I really enjoyed "Death at a Funeral" and laughed all the way through. Admittedly there are some parts that are a bit cringing, but there is some great acting and very funny moments. Don't go expecting too much and you could really enjoy it.

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Sutton said...

Posted on Nov 03 2007 23:26 Utter tosh. How often do you go to see a British film hoping and come away wondering how you have just wasted 2 hours of your life. A tedious farce, waifer thin script and poor plot. Posh people swearing was done a long time ago in 'Four Weddings' This was a deathly waste of time, I've been to funerals that were more fun!!

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louis westcott said...

Posted on Nov 02 2007 21:51 this film was utterly amazing!!!! funny, mysterious and very woth the watch

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Theodora Poole said...

Posted on Nov 02 2007 10:20 I thought the film 'Death at a Funeral' by viewing the trailer clip looks very mysterious and I will definitely go and see it.

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Leona Luk said...

Posted on Sep 09 2007 17:50 A bit of a slow start, although there are funny bits along the way to the truly funny stuff. Unfortunately in the audience I saw this with, there were people leaving the theatre when not immediately assaulted with gags. Don't be tempted to leave though, because the outrageous stuff does come and when it does it just keeps coming. Good casting, workable direction, and some memorable gross outs - enough for everyone to be entertained at some point or another.

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