Death At A Funeral DVD Review
Although I’m not a fan of general slapstick comedies, I do appreciate a well told and well acted farce. I happened to watch Death At A Funeral by myself one evening, and I laughed so hard I’m glad I didn’t see it in the theater, for fear the people around me would have been disturbed by my laughing to the point of crying.
My Rating: 
Muppet man Frank Oz directs Death At A Funeral, and does a phenomenal job with a crew of British and American actors, all of whom generate laughs in various roles. The film is set at the funeral for the father of dutiful son and aspiring writer Daniel (Matthew MacFadyen) and his brother, Robert, a famous author who lives in New York and has a glamorous life.
During the funeral, friends and family gather to mourn their loss, including Daniel’s friends Howard and Justin, who somehow get stuck with transportation duty for old, sick and wheelchair bound Uncle Alfie. When Simon (Alan Tudyk of Serenity, “Firefly”, A Knight’s Tale, 28 Days), the boyfriend of Uncle Victor’s daughter Martha, accidentally drops acid, hilarity ensues, which also impedes the funeral. Add to that a mystery man, four-foot blackmailer named Peter (Peter Dinklage of “30 Rock”, “Nip/Tuck”, “Threshold”, and The Station Agent), who claims to be a “friend” of the deceased and demands cash or he will spill the sordid details of an illicit affair to the funeral attendees.
Oz (Bowfinger, In & Out, What About Bob, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) is doing what he does best here, adding a darker layer to what might have been regular old slapstick in any other director’s hands. Death At A Funeral also stars Kelley Hawes, Andy Nyman, Ewen Bremner (Matchpoint, Snatch, Trainspotting), Daisy Donovan, Jane Asher, Kris Marshall, Rupert Graves, Peter Vaughan, and Peter Egan.
The film is presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio, with audio in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. Extras include commentary with Oz, which covers everything from casting, to the filmmaking process, to improvisation. The film’s writer, Dean Craig (Caffeine), gets his own extra, where he talks with actors Nyman and Tudyk. There’s also a blooper/gag reel.
Death At A Funeral has something for everyone. There’s mystery in the form of mistaken identities, secrets, and more; love, both long lost and forbidden; drugs; nudity; sex; fecal matter; and much more. In short, whether it’s the further end of the spectrum of laughs, almost pushing the boundaries (think bathroom jokes to the nth degree), or the more relatable “everyday life” funnies, this film has it.
For anyone who’s ever had a ridiculous day, where one preposterous thing after another happened, this film is for you. It’s a little bit Four Wedding And A Funeral, a lot A Fish Called Wanda, and the end result is a funny film with lots of likeable characters and a ridiculous yet believable premise. All of which makes Death At A Funeral a fun romp worth a watch.