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Death at a Funeral
RatingCustomer rating is 4 of 5
BrandSony
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Categories Asher, Jane   Graves, Rupert   Vaughan, Peter   Oz, Frank   General   Germany   Netherlands   All MGM Titles   Comedy   Movies & TV on DVD and Blu-ray Disc Trade-In   Indie Sale   DVD   DVD Deals   Full Screen   Widescreen   R   US & CA DVDs: Region 1   2000 & Newer   English  

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Description
From acclaimed director Frank Oz (In & Out, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) comes "a quick, furious and riotously funny farce" (Maxim) this'll have you dying together with laughter!

As the mourners and guests at a British country manor struggle valiantly to "keep a stiff upper lip," a dignified ceremony devolves into a hilarious, no-holds-barred debacle of misplaced cadavers, indecent exposure, and shocking family secrets. Packed together with extras counting audio commentaries and an uproarious gag reel, Death at a Funeral blows the lid off the proverbial coffin as "the film's delicious comic flourishes... sight gags, slapstick, flawless timing... are served up by an excellent cast" (O, The Oprah Magazine).
Though it doesn't hit the same comic heights as Bowfinger, Death at a Funeral is a fun little romp. Granted, not all of the characters are meant to be humorous, like Daniel (Matthew Macfadyen, Pride & Prejudice) and his wife, Jane (Keeley Hawes, Tristram Shandy), straight-faced foils for the extra over-the-top performers. Afterwards Daniel's father passes away, the couple proposes to host the funeral, so all his relatives descend on the family abode, counting Daniel's estranged brother, Robert (Rupert Graves, V for Vendetta). The mood is already tense when their cousin, Martha (Daisy Donovan), arrives together with her nervous fiancé, Simon (Alan Tudyk, Serenity). On the way over, Simon takes a Valium this's actually a hallucinogenic concoction cooked up by Martha's pharmacology student brother. By the time they arrive, Simon's inhibitions are gone together with the wind. Other guests contain Uncle Alfie (Peter Vaughn) and an uninvited American mourner (Peter Dinklage). By the end of the movie, one of these individuals will be dead. Though he's worked in the States for several decades, director Frank Oz was born in the UK, and Death at a Funeral feels like the work of a British filmmaker. As drawing room comedies go, it may not rival Arsenic and Old Lace, but it's still funnier than much. If the film has a flaw, it's one misjudged moment of scatological humor, which is sure to induce extra cringes than giggles. Fortunately, it's over shortly, and Tudyk's hilarious performance offers ample compensation. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Beyond Death at a Funeral


Extra from Frank Oz
Extra British Comedies
Extra from MGM



Stills from Death at a Funeral







Customer Reviews
Customer rating is 3 of 5  Mildly Entertaining English Comedy of Errors   2010-08-31
By Wandrwoman (NY, NY)
This is the sort of drawing room comedy that the English do properly. The director, Frank Oz was born in England and can do very good comedic work, so why is this film flaccid and slightly off mark?

The premise is promising; an assortment of serious, well meaning, middle-class characters assemble at what appears to be a gracious "country home" for a funeral.

What life event is more sacrosanct than a funeral? The one event where proper manners and appropriate expressions of sympathy must accompany deep displays of loss and despair. This is even more so at a middle-class funeral in England where emotional restraint is the national way. Unlike the US where anything goes and self expression of even the most base emotions is considered healthy......this is England where one is asked to "stay strong and carry on".

And so, this movie is about an English funeral where absolutely everything that can go wrong, goes wrong. Really, really wrong. In so many, many ways. And yes, this is very funny indeed!

However, something is amiss. The cast is excellent but not given the cinematic tools to be truly hilarious.

Daniel (played by an oddly swollen and pasty be-still-my-heart, Matthew Macfadyen), the dutiful, caring and overshadowed second son who, along with his wife Jane (Keeley Hawes), lives in this stately home with his parents. It is his father who has died and it is Daniel's responsibility to organize and pay for the funeral and deliver the eulogy. Daniel and Jane are the dramatic foils who attempt to make sense out of the mayhem that quickly ensues.

Daniel's mother, the grieving widow, is played by Jane Asher (early girlfriend of Paul McCartney and sister of Peter Asher). She is quite glamorous, perfectly coiffed and groomed and although she is wearing black (Chanel?) its a bit difficult to truly worry about her. She will get on with it, one suspects.

Why oh why has this mommy dearest stuck Daniel with the bill for her husband's funeral? As if that's not enough, her obviously favored son, Robert (played by Rupert Graves), a fabulously successful author living in New York, also feels no responsibility to contribute "to the cause". Robert has spent all his money to purchase first class plane tickets in order to come to the funeral. If Daniel has to pay for the funeral all by himself he and Jane will not have enough money to buy a flat and move out of mommy's house. And Daniel has to deliver the eulogy even though he is constantly reminded that his brother, the famous writer, is so much better at words!

If the plot so far sounds a bit thin....you are right. It's lighter than air.

The comedic highlights of the movie come from the physical comedy provided by Simon (Alan Tudyk) the insecure boyfriend and secret fiance of cousin Martha. Simon accidently ingests a hallucinogenic pill, instead of Valium, on the way to the funeral and it is his behavior that starts the unfortunate chain of events. Alan Tudyk is hilarious even when stark naked. (I would like to add here that he is perhaps one of the whitest white men ever to appear naked on the screen.)

The rest of the characters fall into generic types: hapless hypochondriacs, creepy snarks, and grumpy, elderly uncles in wheelchairs.

Oh, yes. There is a mysterious American midget...... whatever is he doing at the funeral?

Uh oh!
Customer rating is 5 of 5  A dark comedy that will leave you breathless with laughter   2010-08-15
By Dara H (Virginia)
British satire at it's best, Death At A Funeral is a dark comedy full of painful humor. There's not a person in the world who could watch this and not laugh at it.

There really are no words for this brilliant film. Just go watch it. Now. Seriously.
Customer rating is 5 of 5  Much better than the 2010 remake   2010-08-14
By Barbara Graettinger (Irving, TX United States)
I have watched both versions and this is by far the best. It may not have the high-powered stars of the 2010 version but it has more laughs. You will want to watch it over and over because there is so much going on you will find new laughs with each viewing. It is one of those movies that becomes an old friend. Frank Oz (Sesame St. fame) is behind the camera and makes a highly believable movie even though the laughs are over the top. A must-see film bound to be a cult classic. In fact, I just watched the remake and feel like pulling this one out of the cabinet and watching it right now.
Customer rating is 5 of 5  Death at a Funeral, English Version   2010-08-12
By Rockresearchergal
This is one of the best small screen comedies I've seen in ages. Typical British humour with great acting.
Customer rating is 4 of 5  Hilarious   2010-08-10
By Susan
This English film usually results in sides aching from laughter for my guests and myself, every time.



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