Sunday, August 05, 2007

Death at A Funeral

At last! A lets-not-have-to think-about-it romping good time which is laugh-out-loud funny. And very British, which was a novelty for this festival. It's a farce and I enjoyed it immensely. I was a bit worried because the acting seemed a little wooden for the first few minutes but from the time one of funeral directors utters a forceful "shit" and the hearse takes off up the gravel drive like a bat out of hell, it's all on and everyone is giving it their best.

All you need to know about the plot is that a family funeral is taking place at an English country house, and that members of the family and other mourners are worried about what other people think. Matthew McFadyen is one of the stars and his character is a short-back-and-sides, somewhat anxious older brother who suffers from low self-esteem who is totally different from Mr Darcy - the last person I saw him play. Also featuring were Peter Vaughan who has been playing cantankerous old men since I first started watching TV in the mid-eighties and continues to do it perfectly, and Kris Marshall who is always a joy to watch.

There's toilet humour, nudity, homosexuality, illicit drugs, floral wallpaper, an anxious vicar, a dwarf, and people in hysterics. Hopefully one of them will be you.

Anne's rating 4/5
Ian's rating 5/5

1 comment:

  1. Antony K4:26 pm

    Obviously a polarising film. I would give it a 0 or 1 out of 5 - to me it was incredibly hackneyed, totally witless and unfunny. I went with my parents though they loved it and were laughed through the entire thing (as I sat there rolling my eyes and wished i was somewhere else!). Viva la difference )

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