You could die laughing
The
Brits are exceedingly clever at satire especially when its about
taboo subjects. So here is Death at a Funeral, a wonderfully
funny romp, a farce in terrible taste full of funeral humour and
even rather messy lavatory jokes. However you'd have to be Scrooge
not to be grinning after the first ten minutes. Even hardened
critics at a preview screening were chortling. That's a good sign.
Just take the cast - a naked mourner high on acid, an irascible
disabled uncle with a continence problem, a gay diminutive man
with nasty secret, befuddled undertakers with wrong bodies, and
a hypochondriac with an imaginary skin disease - just for starters.
It all happens one day at rather stately country
home where a funeral is being held for Edward the deceased father
of the family. His nervous eldest son Daniel (Matthew MacFadyen)
seems to be in charge of the proceedings. Various guests arrive
all bringing some problems of their own. Novelist and self opinionated
brother (Rupert Graves) flies in from New York but is broke, Daniel's
cousin Martha (Daisy Donovan) and her new fiancé straight laced
lawyer Simon (Alan Tudyk) are desperate to make a good impression
on her uptight social father. Unfortunately on the way Simon has
accidentally taken some hallucinatory drug in the apartment of
Troy (Kris Marshall) and falls into a wild state of delirium rather
upsetting the tone of proceedings when he thinks the dear departed
has come to life in the coffin. You can't help laughing.
Further chaos erupts when a mysterious sinister
small guest (Peter Dinklage) wants to blackmail the brothers.
The mayhem increases when murder is attempted, more drugs get
loose and Peter Vaughan playing incapacitated uncle Alfie decides
to visit the toilet. Sandra (Jane Asher) as the recent widow does
impressive put downs "tea can do many things Jane but it can't
bring back the dead". Just watch her cool bemused stare at these
perpetrators of confusion who destroy any semblance of dignity
the funeral may have had. All this time Jane (Keeley Hawes) the
long suffering wife of Daniel tries to figure what's happening
to her beleaguered husband.
It's
a funeral to go down in the annals of film history, poking fun
at all things sacred. Paying slight homage to The Wrong Box
and Four Weddings and a Funeral this haywire group of
stock British players do wonderful things with the zany script
and sharp direction by Frank Oz.
Certainly the cast all work well together but special
mention should go to Alan Tudyk (3.10 to Yuma) for his
exceptional role as the stoned lawyer, Matthew MacFadyen (Spooks
- TV) as the bewildered put upon Daniel, Kris Marshall (My
Family - TV) who sets the whole thing in turmoil unwittingly,
while Jane Asher and Daisy Donovan are strong on the female side.
Director Frank Oz (Bowfinger, Little
Shop of Horrors) is no newcomer to comedy and he keeps things
bubbling along happily. The pace seldom lets up as Oz rapidly
cross cuts from one subplot to another, and running just 90 minutes
this is one movie you could wish lasted longer. Only a touch of
piousness at the end seems unwarranted.
Written by Dean Craig who has much enthusiasm for
Monty Python one might imagine. If you like black comedy done
the Brit way this one is definitely for you. It's the best laugh
in town.
John Bale
