Death at a Funeral (R)

A truly great comedy can turn even the most serious and gloomy of situations into something funny.  Another true test in great humor is to have situations and characters that relate with the audience.  These two devices are woven superbly together by director Frank Oz (Jedi Master Yoda) in the 2007 British comedic tale, “Death at a Funeral.”

Few things in life are as morose as a funeral, and when the patriarch of a wealthy English family is set to be laid to rest at his massive estate, the somber occasion is interrupted by the shenanigans of the deceased’s family who have all swooped in on the event from their various lives.  This pack of characters each brings to the setting their own back stories – as any family gathering will do – it blends people and their own personal sub-lives together for the first time in weeks, months, or even years.

The two sons, Daniel and Robert (Matthew Macfayden and Rupert Graves) quarrel over the cost of the funeral as Daniel has been stuck with the entire bill while Robert, a successful New York City author, advises he can’t chip in because the cost of first class plane tickets has gone up.  Daniel, the elder son, is set to give the eulogy, though everyone else in attendance would prefer it be Robert because he is an accomplished writer.

First cousin Martha (Daisy Donovan) has her own issue to deal with; her new fiancé Simon (Alan Tudyk) is disapproved of by her father, making Simon on edge as they are driving to the funeral.  When Martha picks up her younger brother Troy (Kris Marshall) a pharmacy student, she feeds Simon what she believes to be Valium in effort to calm his nerves.  The pill turns out to be a severe hallucinogenic that Troy was experimenting with, thus sending Simon into a state of total psychotic oblivion that begins to take effect as they arrive at the funeral.

Geeky family friends Howard (Andy Nyman) and Justin (Ewen Bremner) are tasked with picking up and looking after the cantankerous and wheelchair-bound uncle Alfie (Peter Vaughan).  Justin has a crush on Martha and therefore disdain for Simon.  Howard will seemingly do anything in order to fit in.

While the family is dealing with the drug-induced antics of Simon, a mysterious stranger Peter (Peter Dinklage) drops a bombshell on the brothers; he had been carrying on a homosexual affair with their late father and because he was left out of the will, is demanding they pay him off otherwise he will display revealing and embarrassing photos to the entire family.

“Death at a Funeral” is a riot of laughs from start to finish with characters you will care for and relate to in multiple ways; from the sibling rivalry of Daniel and Robert, the un-welcomed outsider Simon who truly loves Martha and is just seeking the respect of her father, and Justin who is muddled with a crush on a woman that has no interest in him.

Death at a Funeral is the type of movie you can watch again and again.  At 90 minutes running time, it’s the perfect length, a great “sick-day” film, and a must have for your DVD collection.

It should be noted that an American remake of the film was done in 2010 with Chris Rock, Danny Glover, and Martin Lawrence.  Do yourself a favor and stick with the original.

– by Matt Christopher