It seems as though British comedy is on the rise, or has been in the last few years. The popularity of NBC’s “The Office” with its UK roots has made dry, quirky humor more main place in American culture. Watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail in my formative years definitely cultivated my taste for this kind of comedy, so when I came across Frank Oz’s Death at a Funeral, I had to watch it immediately.
It was the kind of anticipation I feel when I’m roaming through the internet and suddenly discover there is a film being made on a subject matter I adore with actors who amaze me…only without the grueling wait period of discovering this months or a year in advance. With anticipations like that, it’s easy for them to just not be met when the finished product finally comes along. However, Death at a Funeral did not dissapoint.
The premise is simple, there has been a death, and various family members, friends, and unknowns appear to pay their respects…of sorts. However, this is a dysfunctional British family. To give the audience a taste of what they’re in for, the film starts with the wrong casket being delivered for the wake. Pharmaceutical mishaps, blackmail, and relatable family anxiety drive this film and the viewer right along with it.
Personally, I tend to get drawn into certain movies more than others, and this serves as a convenient, subconscious indicator of my enjoyment. So, if I start shouting along with the characters or flailing, sometimes injuring those sitting next to me, I can pretty much say I was happy with my cinematic experience. The character dynamics were genuine to those awkward family disasters that find themselves creeping into various Thanksgivings and christenings. So much so that I found myself enjoying the hilarity that can be found in those experiences…from a comfortable, outside perspective.
Beneath the surface comedy is genuine heart and acceptance that is grounding amongst the laughter. Matthew MacFadyen, Peter Dinklage, and Alan Tudyk give very memorable performances along with the rest of the cast. Definitely worth watching…especially if you’re heading to a family reunion anytime soon.
Popularity: 25% [?]
July 11th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Glad to hear that this one is good! I’ve wanted to see it for a while, I am a big Alan Tudyk fan. His stuff in TV’s Firefly and A Knight’s Tale is classic.