Death at a Funeral

A hackneyed premise boosted with hits of LSD and a gay dwarf. The successful comeback of former comedy master Frank Oz has juice, is properly British, morbid and cynical, and maintains its quality even when one of the main characters gets feces on his face. Plus it has a not entirely mainstream cast, which is all the more interesting for that. I recommend serving this up after a weekend breakfast. (08.06.2008)

I love this type of humour. A comedy that is funny from beginning to end for anyone who’s into English and dark humour. Great fun. (03.09.2008)

This is the perfect concentrate of all the positions of dryly black humor that perhaps only the British can boast of. That it will screw itself into absurdity will surprise no one at the first peek into the coffin; however, the fact that it manages to handle both the drugged participants and all the terrifying family secrets is an absolute mystery to me. 4 ½. (02.11.2009)

With the word "funeral" we associate respect for the deceased, the pain of the bereaved, tears, and regret over the departure of a loved one. However, the creators of British black comedy were able to unleash a much wider range of emotions on a small scale and, above all, they demonstrated that a properly conceived funeral can bring unexpected surprises and experiences, starting with the exchange of the deceased and the revelation of the deceased's sexual desires. For a truly adrenaline-filled unconventional experience, all you need is to assemble a suitable list of mourners. The old grumpy uncle definitely has to be there, next to whom the grandfather from The Simpsons feels like Mother Teresa, as well as the hypochondriac with a fascinating ability to make faux pas, the slimy playboy, the dwarf with shady intentions... Just a glimpse of this bizarre cast is enough for you to begin to suspect where the local gathering is headed. Moreover, only a few of the attendees are gifted with the ability to solve logistical problems such as fitting two corpses into a single coffin, and only the mentally strongest can cope with the arrival of the deceased back among the mourners. Add in a few seemingly innocent props, like a tube of pills which, however, hides a strong hallucinogenic drug instead of an innocent remedy - and the disaster is complete. Along with that, we get the traditional dry British conversational humor, like: "I have a feeling that my father's funeral was attended by far more friends than he had while alive." That's exactly the kind of humor that appeals to me, and I forgive the one toilet humor scene with a touch of Frank Oz. I just slightly dislike the more vulgar language, as I associate British films of a similar nature with a certain nobility. Overall impression: 90%. (02.04.2015)

You can find several really good gags in this movie, but otherwise the master behind Yoda cooked up a weird concoction of black comedy mixed with family drama. Sometimes the movie is caught in spasms, but at other times it gives us gags involving a shitty hand, etc. The viewer simply has to take it as it comes. (25.05.2016)

A superbly cast black comedy (like death) from the reliable Frank Oz that continually builds, surprises, entertains and amuses from the opening to the closing credits. Although I was really disgusted by one toilet moment, I laughed practically all the time. And the cast is so great, I don't know who I should praise first. An inconspicuous gem. (26.12.2015)

I instantly liked this film the first time I saw it. I’m really keen on dry English humor, and there was plenty of it here. I enjoyed the perfect concert of the various little complications that turned the originally planned funeral into something completely different. I also liked how the individual roles were cast. The role of Simon, in particular, must have been tailor-made for Alan Tudyk. He is excellent at playing these unfortunate characters who always end up taking the fall for things that weren’t their fault. To mention a negative, I could definitely do without the toilet scene with Uncle Alfie – perhaps a German influence? (01.05.2020)

Excellent British humor that definitely won't appeal to everyone. An absurd drama is unfolding, gradually escalating in humiliation, but it maintains a good level the whole time, you always know it's on a lighter note and it works. It's entertaining from beginning to end, never boring. It probably won't sit well with everyone, I'm sure of that, but give this comedy a chance. Some characters and scenes are absolutely excellent. (18.02.2014)

Very dark in places, but also very funny and touching... What can be caused by unknowingly confusing Valium with LSD, and how many people are affected as a result, is presented here in a really authentic way. 80% (22.07.2009)