TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

Death At A Funeral [2007]


RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £3.95 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

The latest comedy from director Frank Oz, Death at a Funeral unusually sets a funeral at the heart of a film that’s trying to generate laughs. It does prove to be quite a hurdle, but it’s to the credit of those involved that the film proves to be a worthwhile and diverting way to spend an hour and a half.

Starring Rupert Graves, Matthew MacFadyen and Peter Egan among a talented ensemble cast, Death at a Funeral ticks most of the boxes you’d expect of its concept, but does throw in a few twists of its own, too. There are family secrets, mix-ups, battling characters and the funeral itself to deal with, and Oz proves skilful at marrying the threads together.

Death at a Funeral manages to generate a good few laughs on the way to its fine ending, but it does have its problems. There are perhaps one too many contrivances to put up with, and the script doesn’t really do the director and his cast too many favours. In spite of its slight running time, it also manages to feel a little too long.

But Death at a Funeral is still, despite these problems, a perfectly competent British comedy, and a useful way to fill a night in. Don’t expect a masterpiece, and chances are you’ll have some fun with it. --Jon Foster


"This is not my father"
Review date: 2008-08-31 Rating: 8 out of 10

What can go wrong at a funeral? Seemingly everything, as this extremely funny dark comedy will show you. I didn't expect much, despite the positive buzz, but English director Frank Oz surprised me. Give "Death at a funeral" a chance, this bizarre film will make you laugh :)

Belen Alcat


Similar Products

Reviews


It's Trying Too Hard...
Review date: 2008-08-17 Rating: 4 out of 10

It starts out nice, with a decent (albeit unoriginal) plot, dedicated actors and fair direction. There are problems both with the script and the execution, however. "Death at a funeral" sets out to be your standard British comedy, with intricacies and comic plots like improper nudity, irritating relatives and poo in somebody's face. Sounds promising, doesn't it. Moving on to the story lines, there's plenty of potential: a funeral, love, drugs that make people "funny", a gay midget with naughty photographs, not to mention the old coot in a wheelchair who needs help to reach the toilet. So with all this; all these potentially funny story lines, and good actors too... why doesn't it work? Well, it just doesn't. It falls short in several areas.

First of all there are the plot holes. Without going into specifics, you'll know what I mean. There are lots of things that just aren't logical, for no apparent reason, and some that are plain impossible. Then there's the blatant disregard for comic tradition, i.e. a joke is less funny the second time around. Trust me when I say there isn't much in this movie you haven't seen before; there isn't much you won't be able to guess. If it wasn't for the actors' good execution of various lines, you'd be bored with them. Because you've most likely heard them before. If you've ever watched a British comedy before, you'll recognize the plot, and if you're a keen comedy watcher, you'll be annoyed at the lack of originality.

To top it off, there's the conclusion. Rounding off the story. Summing up. The director has strewn loose threads all over the place, and now is the time to gather them all together and tie them elegantly into a knot which can only be described in one word: anti-climactic. Again, you'll know what I mean. After watching for the better part of an hour you're left wondering, "where will all this end up?" Disappointment looms when you realize the answer is, "nowhere, really."

If you watch and love British comedy, you'll hate this. If you haven't watched such things, well, then chances are there's something better out there, starring Hugh Grant or Rowan Atkinson. Kalah's top tip: avoid.

Dire
Review date: 2008-07-30 Rating: 2 out of 10

This was without a doubt, the most awful, cringe-worthy, unsuccessful attempt at comedy I've ever had the misfortune of having to sit through. The jokes were predictable and unfunny, the plot was non-existant, and despite trying its very best to be a comical farse, it ended up just being pathetic. I felt sorry for the actors who had put their names to it. It was absolutely dire

Great British Farce
Review date: 2008-07-20 Rating: 10 out of 10

Frank Oz has created a great movie here, it's rare for a farce to work this well in a movie; they usually play better as sit-coms like Fawlty Towers. The key to it is the pacing, the characters, the gags, and the whole situation grows sillier and more widespread as the laughs unfold. By the end I was laughing hysterically - Loved it!

Too Funny to Pass Up
Review date: 2008-07-09 Rating: 10 out of 10

This has to be one of the funniest films I have ever seen. From its very first line through to the outrageous finish. Though the main story revolves around the (hopefully) dignified send off of the family patriarch, the many competing story lines result in an uproarious and completely unpredictable romp. The wrong body; a lost and found Valium bottle that isn't; a small man with a big secret; an irritable old man with an equally irritable bowel; a body in the library; and a naked man on the roof among other things... Perfectly cast with stellar performances all around and an unrelenting near rabid pace, it builds until you don't think things can get any crazier ...and yet somehow they do. Even funnier is the Gag Reel that makes one wonder how they made this movie at all with all of the hysterical outtakes. Director Frank Oz and all of this incredible cast (which includes Jane Asher, Matthew Macfadyen & real life wife Keely Hawes, Daisy Donovan, Alan Tudyk, Kris Marshall, Peter Dinklage, Andy Nyman, Rupert Graves, Peter Egan, et al) are to be highly commended for creating something so incredibly hysterical out of something so seemingly innocuous and unfunny as a funeral. I laughed so hard my abdominal muscles actually hurt the next day! Buy it, like Young Frankenstein, it gets funnier each time you watch it. Then listen to the director's voice over especially at the part where the infamous "pictures" appear, it explains a whole lot about Matthew and Rupert's "acting" when they see them....Enjoy!

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Kris Marshall
Alan Tudyk
Rupert Graves
Thomas Wheatley
Peter Egan

Creators:
Peter Egan (Primary Contributor)
Rupert Graves (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5039036036702
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-02-25
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 86 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2007

Add to Cart

© 2006 Darren Hester, DesignsByDarren.com, Some Rights Reserved.
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional