Death at a Funeral (UK)

[Manchester]

At this Script Pages thread, I had a question about what is "a dark comedy" and mentioned "Death at a Funeral" (UK).

DavidK and wordprocessor said they might now want to see that movie. So as to not step on the OP's purposes there, I decided to post my reply to them here.

I kinda liked it.

It's an ensemble story. Somewhat dark, somewhat French farce (who's behind this and that door). It is "disjointed" - a word I normally see used to suggest something inherently bad. For me, the film came across as - Things that happen within various groups of people who have come to a location for a funeral service. Unrequited love is the issue within one group. Extortion within another group.

Actually, as I consider it now, the "dark comedy" aspect may simply be that it IS happening at a funeral - so maybe it isn't really "a dark comedy". It could just as easily be happening at a wedding or a 50th wedding anniversary party.


One of the things I like about oddball UK comedies is that, beyond their oddball-ness, they often have really good, accomplished actors I have never seen before. And for me, the more oddball a story is, the easier it is for me to get into it if all the faces are new. Or at least, only maybe-kinda familiar. Or - If they actor is essentially playing the same kinda role as the one I've already seen. I don't have this problem with dramas or "regular" comedies; just with small, oddball comedies.

A small "unfortunately" about this one is that I did know two of the main actors: Here they play husband and wife, while I know them after having seen many episode of the BBC-TV show, "MI-5", in which they played colleagues. It was hard for me to suspend my perception of them as those two clever "spies" and see them as kinda-screwball characters.

As for the US remake with Chris Rock - I couldn't get into it. I actually saw that version first on DVD and didn't watch more than 20 minutes or so. I like Chris Rock's sensibilities - I liked his TV show, "Everybody Hate's Chris". "Head of State" sucked (no pun intended, but that would be a good title for the Bill Clinton Story), but there was some great satire in it. But as an actor in a lead role... Not so much.

[wordprocessor]

Re: Death at a Funeral (UK)

***SPOILERS***

I just saw it. I thought a lot of it was humorous, and I laughed out loud at a couple places, especially when the friend gets the uncle's feces on his hand and on his face. I don't know why, but ever since the first grade, feces jokes never seem to lose their punch.

Yes, I do think it's a dark comedy, not only b/c it's at a funeral, but b/c it has some classic dark themes.

Namely, they accidentally "kill" the little person, and they're terrified of what they've done, and try to hide the body... of all places, in the coffin. That's REAL terror in their eyes, and they're REALLY trying to hide the crime, desperately. And there would be REAL consequences, grave ones, if they got caught. But from the audience's view, it's hilarious... yet, we all know a REAL murder wouldn't be something to laugh about, or at least it shouldn't be. And that's what makes this a dark comedy.

And I think there are gradations of dark. This was a dark comedy, just not AS dark as some others... as you said, it definitely leans heavy on farce, too.

Something else dark about this is the thick cynicism--

After the first scene, it's clear that this movie is not about the funeral... and it's not about the sacredness of death. The funeral company brings the wrong body... and in the just next few scenes after that, we see how the serious topic of death is belittled and mocked by the irreverence... the protagonist is worried about his sibling rivalry, his wife is worried about moving out... the one guy is trying to get laid, and the other couple is trying to get a father's approval of their relationship... and the little man is there to capitalize on the death... NO ONE actually cares about the funeral...

That's the sort of cynicism I was talking about. It's not JUST outrageous stuff happening, randomly, like one-off events; it's outrageous stuff happening with a direct thematic counterpoint to the subject matter: you start the movie thinking it's going to be about a solemn death-- but instead, it turns out to be about this diaspora of life teeming all around that death, and the irreverence towards the death.

I liked the movie, but I won't bother seeing the 2010 one. I'm not a big Chris Rock fan... speaking of UK comedies, I loved the series "How Not to Live Your Life." I was sad to see they didn't continue it.

[wordprocessor]

Re: Death at a Funeral (UK)

and thanks for the good recommendation!

[Manchester]

Re: Death at a Funeral (UK)

wordprocessor, very interesting comments. I don't know that I agree with them or disagree with them, but you touched on a lot of aspects of this film - and this sort of film - so I've bookmarked it so I can use it as a "things to consider" list, as needed.

The entire matter of tone and genre, what can go with what, etc. I know the issue is real, but sometimes the way various people use it to say that a particular script doesn't work... Sometimes it strikes me as rule-centric as the rule about wearing white after Labor Day (in the US) - not that I actually wear white.

One thing I hadn't though about - and here I do quite agree with you - is how the wrong-body bit does rather efficiently help establish the irreverence.

So thanks for following up. And glad you liked it.

[Great White Mark]

Re: Death at a Funeral (UK)

Death at a Funeral isnt a dark comedy, it's a straight up ensemble comedy of errors.

Nothing really dark about it all.

Something like In Bruges, Fear & Loathing, Trainspotting etc...is dark comedy.

[wordprocessor]

Re: Death at a Funeral (UK)

Death at a Funeral isnt a dark comedy, it's a straight up ensemble comedy of errors.

Nothing really dark about it all.

This doesn't sound like an opinion, it sounds like a definitive statement.
Here's to the contrary of your statement--

1) Susan King at Los Angeles Times, "Frank Oz... whose dark comedy "Death at a Funeral" opens June 29, just two days after Willis' fourth "Die Hard" film, "Live Free or Die Hard."
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,4672962.story

2) Ruthe Stein at San Francisco Chronicle, "Death at a Funeral: Black comedy. "
http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article...ce-2525810.php

3) Richard Schickel at Time Magazine, "All these - and many other matters besides - are the subject of director Frank Oz's insanely funny, if occasionally out-of-control, black farce, Death at a Funeral..."
http://www.time.com/time/arts/articl...653806,00.html

4) Claudia Puig at USA Today, "Very little in life is intended to be as reverent and dignified as a funeral, so when one goes awry in bizarre and unexpected ways, the possibilities for dark humor are nearly limitless."
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/...-funeral_N.htm

5) Bill Gibron at Filmcritic.com, "Frank Oz recognized the inherent dark humor in the piece and played it up nicely. The UK version seemed sick and twisted. Americanized, Death at a Funeral feels weak and inadequate."
http://movies.amctv.com/movie/2010/Death+at+a+Funeral

6) Nathan Southern at rottentomatoes.com, "This nutty British comedy observes with jet-black humor the myriad outrageous calamities that befall an eccentric English clan..."
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/death_at_a_funeral/

7) Susan Walker at The Toronto Star, "As if responding to a strange nostalgia for the days when British black comedy ruled the screens, British director Frank Oz (the voice of Star Wars' Yoda) has made a movie that is a total throwback."
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment...article/266073

8) Jack Matthews at New York Daily News, "It takes a while for Frank Oz's ensemble black comedy "Death at a Funeral" to hit its deliriously nutty stride. But when it does..."
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...ticle-1.241463

9) David Edelstein at New York Magazine, "Considerably shapelier is Death at a Funeral, a dark British farce whose conventionality should not be held against it-old-fashioned farces are murder to bring off."
http://nymag.com/movies/reviews/35810/

10) Debbie Elliot at NPR, "Death at a Funeral is a dark comedy about a family brought together by the passing of its patriarch."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=12725846


Those are just ten professional reviews... if you google "Death at a Funeral" and "Black/dark comedy/farce/humor" you will find many more. Even scroll through the comments section, or view the Amazon.com user reviews, same on yahoo, or netflix... over and over, many, many people refer to it as dark/black/etc... Sure, some people might not agree that it's a dark comedy... but clearly, many people do feel this is exactly a dark comedy.

Also, many reviews don't use the specific words "dark/black comedy", instead, they use other words and phrases to allude the "darkness". Roger Ebert's review reads, "Death at a Funeral finds its comedy in the peculiar human trait of being most tempted to laugh when we're absolutely not supposed to."

So I don't think it's fair to flat out dismiss this, as statively as you did, as just a farce comedy. imo, it's plenty dark enough to be a dark comedy.

[Great White Mark]

Re: Death at a Funeral (UK)

This doesn't sound like an opinion, it sounds like a definitive statement.
Here's to the contrary of your statement--

1) Susan King at Los Angeles Times, "Frank Oz... whose dark comedy "Death at a Funeral" opens June 29, just two days after Willis' fourth "Die Hard" film, "Live Free or Die Hard."
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,4672962.story

2) Ruthe Stein at San Francisco Chronicle, "Death at a Funeral: Black comedy. "
http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article...ce-2525810.php

3) Richard Schickel at Time Magazine, "All these - and many other matters besides - are the subject of director Frank Oz's insanely funny, if occasionally out-of-control, black farce, Death at a Funeral..."
http://www.time.com/time/arts/articl...653806,00.html

4) Claudia Puig at USA Today, "Very little in life is intended to be as reverent and dignified as a funeral, so when one goes awry in bizarre and unexpected ways, the possibilities for dark humor are nearly limitless."
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/...-funeral_N.htm

5) Bill Gibron at Filmcritic.com, "Frank Oz recognized the inherent dark humor in the piece and played it up nicely. The UK version seemed sick and twisted. Americanized, Death at a Funeral feels weak and inadequate."
http://movies.amctv.com/movie/2010/Death+at+a+Funeral

6) Nathan Southern at rottentomatoes.com, "This nutty British comedy observes with jet-black humor the myriad outrageous calamities that befall an eccentric English clan..."
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/death_at_a_funeral/

7) Susan Walker at The Toronto Star, "As if responding to a strange nostalgia for the days when British black comedy ruled the screens, British director Frank Oz (the voice of Star Wars' Yoda) has made a movie that is a total throwback."
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment...article/266073

8) Jack Matthews at New York Daily News, "It takes a while for Frank Oz's ensemble black comedy "Death at a Funeral" to hit its deliriously nutty stride. But when it does..."
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...ticle-1.241463

9) David Edelstein at New York Magazine, "Considerably shapelier is Death at a Funeral, a dark British farce whose conventionality should not be held against it-old-fashioned farces are murder to bring off."
http://nymag.com/movies/reviews/35810/

10) Debbie Elliot at NPR, "Death at a Funeral is a dark comedy about a family brought together by the passing of its patriarch."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=12725846


Those are just ten professional reviews... if you google "Death at a Funeral" and "Black/dark comedy/farce/humor" you will find many more. Even scroll through the comments section, or view the Amazon.com user reviews, same on yahoo, or netflix... over and over, many, many people refer to it as dark/black/etc... Sure, some people might not agree that it's a dark comedy... but clearly, many people do feel this is exactly a dark comedy.

Also, many reviews don't use the specific words "dark/black comedy", instead, they use other words and phrases to allude the "darkness". Roger Ebert's review reads, "Death at a Funeral finds its comedy in the peculiar human trait of being most tempted to laugh when we're absolutely not supposed to."

So I don't think it's fair to flat out dismiss this, as statively as you did, as just a farce comedy. imo, it's plenty dark enough to be a dark comedy.

thats great, doesnt change the fact its not a dark comedy. What's really dark about it? That it takes place at a funeral?

It's a family reunion comedy where people work through their family issues that could just as easily take place at a wedding or some other family event.

Is Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins a dark comedy? Cause the only real difference is the maturity of the humor. One is written for a broad american audience, the other a smaller adult audience -- doesnt mean its dark. Just means its not fluff.

[wordprocessor]

Re: Death at a Funeral (UK)

***SPOILERS***

Please explain, give more than just a simple statement.

thats great, doesnt change the fact its not a dark comedy.

That's pretty dismissive. The "fact?" Who established that as a fact? If that's a fact, then everyone who calls it a dark comedy is a liar? Or just ignorant of the "fact?" No offense to you, but the real fact is that nothing you've said is more than an opinion, literally just an opinion... and not one that has provided any supportive argument. No deconstruction of dark comedy? No definition of dark comedy? Please don't press your opinions on other people, and justify it by declaring your opinion as fact.

This is exactly what you said, except flipped on perspective--

"That's great, doesn't change the fact that it actually is a dark comedy."

And?... That would be like me saying "because I say so."

If you don't think it's a dark comedy, please explain specifically why it's not a dark comedy. I'm not an encyclopedia of films, or a film student, or a professional writer, or anything else... so if there's something I'm not getting, and you have insight into why I'm not getting it, please contribute so I can understand your viewpoint.

Here's why I think it's dark. In my opinion:

- dark comedies have a macabre subject matter... death, murder, war, spousal abuse, drug abuse/alcohol abuse/addiction, greed, sexual deviancy, insanity, other vices-- all themes of societal dysfunction.
- those themes are presented cynically and satirically.
- the humor is derived from the cynicism and satire, and not from "jokes."
- the objective is to make the audience laugh in situations where they're not "supposed" to laugh b/c of societal status quos. Ideally, the audience should be uncomfortable laughing at those situations... it brings those silent/unnoticed status quos to their attention... which presents an opportunity for the audience to recalibrate/reflect on those societal standards...

As it applies to Death at a Funeral...

- the father is dead and his death is treated with irreverence by everyone except his wife, his body is switched by the funeral company, his coffin is knocked over/his body falls out, the little person is tossed in the coffin in the 69-position-- it's macabre and cynical.
- the father had a sexual relationship outside his marriage-- sexual deviancy.
- the little person is "killed" after trying to extort money-- both murder and extortion are serious crimes.
- the brother is a drug dealer, studying to be a pharmacist-- which is the very antithesis of his profession-to-be.
- the protagonist, his wife, his brother, their cousin and her fiance, the cousin's father, the cousin's brother, the protagonist's friend, and that friend's friend... are all consumed with the dysfunction in their lives-- the cynicism is heaviest here b/c they're all caught up in the "trivial" things of life, things that really have no value outside of pride/ego/greed... since what's really most important in life is living, which is what the family has just lost, a living person... but they're all too distracted by "life" to live, or even to give the loss of a person any due attention.

It's a family reunion comedy where people work through their family issues that could just as easily take place at a wedding or some other family event.

It IS a family reunion, and they ARE working through family issues... but it's not JUST a family reunion... b/c there are drugs, sexual deviancy, extortion, murder, and intrigue involved-- none of which are necessary for a family reunion comedy. I think the clear focus of a family reunion comedy would be on family themes, familial relationships, grudges... that type of thing. In this film, the focus is not squarely on family... imo, the focus is death vs appreciation of life:

-the father is dead
-the little person is "dead"
-the cousin's fiance almost dies on the roof
-the elderly uncle is probably going to die soon, and he's a "burden" to everyone, they treat him like an invalid
-several people are presented with the opportunity to OD on the drugs
-and lots of "dead" relationships... the deceased's marriage could be considered dead b/c of the infidelity, the brotherly relationship, the cousin's relationship with her father, the drug dealer's chip on his shoulder b/c of his controlling father, the cheeseball trying to rekindle a one night stand even though the woman shows no interest...

And you're right, it could just as easily have taken place at a wedding or some other family event... but if these same themes were carried over, then I would consider that to be a dark comedy too, wedding or baby shower. It doesn't matter where it takes place, for me, it's the nature of the content that matters.

So I'm content on calling this a dark comedy...
And it seems like you're content calling it a plain old comedy...
and if you're as stubborn as I am, I doubt we're going to make much progress on this.
So, if you respond, I'll definitely read it,
but unless it's something I think I can bring you over to the dark side on (which I doubt), I'll bow out of this thread now.

[Great White Mark]

Re: Death at a Funeral (UK)

***SPOILERS***

Please explain, give more than just a simple statement.



That's pretty dismissive. The "fact?" Who established that as a fact? If that's a fact, then everyone who calls it a dark comedy is a liar? Or just ignorant of the "fact?" No offense to you, but the real fact is that nothing you've said is more than an opinion, literally just an opinion... and not one that has provided any supportive argument. No deconstruction of dark comedy? No definition of dark comedy? Please don't press your opinions on other people, and justify it by declaring your opinion as fact.

This is exactly what you said, except flipped on perspective--

"That's great, doesn't change the fact that it actually is a dark comedy."

And?... That would be like me saying "because I say so."

If you don't think it's a dark comedy, please explain specifically why it's not a dark comedy. I'm not an encyclopedia of films, or a film student, or a professional writer, or anything else... so if there's something I'm not getting, and you have insight into why I'm not getting it, please contribute so I can understand your viewpoint.

Here's why I think it's dark. In my opinion:

- dark comedies have a macabre subject matter... death, murder, war, spousal abuse, drug abuse/alcohol abuse/addiction, greed, sexual deviancy, insanity, other vices-- all themes of societal dysfunction.
- those themes are presented cynically and satirically.
- the humor is derived from the cynicism and satire, and not from "jokes."
- the objective is to make the audience laugh in situations where they're not "supposed" to laugh b/c of societal status quos. Ideally, the audience should be uncomfortable laughing at those situations... it brings those silent/unnoticed status quos to their attention... which presents an opportunity for the audience to recalibrate/reflect on those societal standards...

As it applies to Death at a Funeral...

- the father is dead and his death is treated with irreverence by everyone except his wife, his body is switched by the funeral company, his coffin is knocked over/his body falls out, the little person is tossed in the coffin in the 69-position-- it's macabre and cynical.
- the father had a sexual relationship outside his marriage-- sexual deviancy.
- the little person is "killed" after trying to extort money-- both murder and extortion are serious crimes.
- the brother is a drug dealer, studying to be a pharmacist-- which is the very antithesis of his profession-to-be.
- the protagonist, his wife, his brother, their cousin and her fiance, the cousin's father, the cousin's brother, the protagonist's friend, and that friend's friend... are all consumed with the dysfunction in their lives-- the cynicism is heaviest here b/c they're all caught up in the "trivial" things of life, things that really have no value outside of pride/ego/greed... since what's really most important in life is living, which is what the family has just lost, a living person... but they're all too distracted by "life" to live, or even to give the loss of a person any due attention.



It IS a family reunion, and they ARE working through family issues... but it's not JUST a family reunion... b/c there are drugs, sexual deviancy, extortion, murder, and intrigue involved-- none of which are necessary for a family reunion comedy. I think the clear focus of a family reunion comedy would be on family themes, familial relationships, grudges... that type of thing. In this film, the focus is not squarely on family... imo, the focus is death vs appreciation of life:

-the father is dead
-the little person is "dead"
-the cousin's fiance almost dies on the roof
-the elderly uncle is probably going to die soon, and he's a "burden" to everyone, they treat him like an invalid
-several people are presented with the opportunity to OD on the drugs
-and lots of "dead" relationships... the deceased's marriage could be considered dead b/c of the infidelity, the brotherly relationship, the cousin's relationship with her father, the drug dealer's chip on his shoulder b/c of his controlling father, the cheeseball trying to rekindle a one night stand even though the woman shows no interest...

And you're right, it could just as easily have taken place at a wedding or some other family event... but if these same themes were carried over, then I would consider that to be a dark comedy too, wedding or baby shower. It doesn't matter where it takes place, for me, it's the nature of the content that matters.

So I'm content on calling this a dark comedy...
And it seems like you're content calling it a plain old comedy...
and if you're as stubborn as I am, I doubt we're going to make much progress on this.
So, if you respond, I'll definitely read it,
but unless it's something I think I can bring you over to the dark side on (which I doubt), I'll bow out of this thread now.

All I got from this is that you're really uptight, believe you have the right to decide what is and isnt sexual deviance and are afraid of death and think its some sacred topic that cant be approached comically.

Do you consider weekend at Bernie's to be a dark comedy? Cause by youre criteria it is.

Non-PG doesn't equal dark comedy.


"- the brother is a drug dealer, studying to be a pharmacist-- [U]which is the very antithesis of his profession-to-be."

that really cracked me up -- way more people die from prescription drugs dolled out by pharmacist than illegal drug use.

"- the father had a sexual relationship outside his marriage-- [U]sexual deviancy."

Man...good luck to you...lol.