Skip to main content

Death at a Funeral (2007)

Bowfinger and Jiff Ramsey

Plot Summary: Chaos ensues at a family funeral when secrets, misunderstandings, and unexpected revelations come to light. What starts as a somber gathering quickly turns into a farcical series of events, including the accidental ingestion of hallucinogens, a blackmail attempt involving a shocking secret about the deceased, and escalating comedic disasters. This black comedy perfectly balances absurdity and emotion, offering plenty of laughs and heartfelt moments.

Director: Frank Oz
Producer: Sidney Kimmel
Screenplay: Dean Craig

Starring:
Matthew Macfadyen as Daniel
Rupert Graves as Robert
Alan Tudyk as Simon
Peter Dinklage as Peter
Keeley Hawes as Jane
Ewen Bremner as Justin

 Freddy's Movie Review
***SPOILER ALERT***

A British Black Comedy Gem

British Black Comedy—do I even need to say more? You already know it’s going to be good, especially with Frank Oz at the helm. Death at a Funeral (2007) is no exception. I first watched it years ago and remembered enjoying it immensely, though the only detail that stuck with me was the "little dwarf secret" twist. Revisiting it now, I can confidently say this is one of the funniest films of 2007. With its sharp humor and expertly crafted chaos, the movie delivers a consistently entertaining experience.


A Stellar Cast and Memorable Characters

Every character in this film is fascinating and fun to watch, brought to life by a talented ensemble cast. Each actor shines, particularly in the more intense and frantic moments, where their performances create an authentic atmosphere of anxiety and panic. Alan Tudyk, who will always be my favorite spaceship pilot from the cult series Firefly (seriously, watch it if you haven’t), stands out as a guest who accidentally gets high on acid. His scenes are comedy gold, perfectly encapsulating the absurdity of the script. Add to this the multitude of subplots and family secrets that unravel during the funeral, and you have a recipe for nonstop hilarity.


Short, Sweet, and Hilarious

At its core, Death at a Funeral is a tightly woven comedy that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s the perfect choice for when you want a quick laugh before bed, guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face. And if you’ve already seen it, let’s share a laugh over this unforgettable line: “I have a confession to make... I have these thoughts about pushing a pen up my bum!” This Howard guy... πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚  Don’t miss this film—it’s short, sweet, and packed with moments you’ll be quoting for years to come.


πŸŽ₯ Cinematography (8/10):

Simple and effective, capturing the chaos beautifully..

πŸ“– Story (9/10):

Short and sweet with layered humor and memorable twists.

🎬 Direction (9/10):

Frank Oz masterfully balances absurdity and emotional beats.

πŸ‘₯ Characters (9/10):

A quirky cast that delivers nonstop entertainment.

πŸ’₯ Visual Effects (N/A):

Not applicable. 5 points to balance it out.

🎭 Acting (9/10):

Brilliant performances, especially Alan Tudyk’s standout moments.

πŸ’¬ Dialogue (9/10):

Smart, funny, and endlessly quotable.

🌍 Setting/Atmosphere (7/10):

The chaotic funeral setting is hilariously well-crafted.

🎡 Music (8/10):

It does a good job of highlighting the humor.

πŸ˜„ Entertainment Value (10/10):

A laugh-out-loud comedy you’ll want to revisit.

Our blog is currently being updated regularly!

Comments

🎬 Join the CineIt Movie Club!

Get exclusive reviews and recommendations delivered straight to your inbox. Never miss a great movie again!

🍿

Support CineIt

Enjoy my rants?
Help keep the popcorn flowing!

Buy Me Some Popcorn

Popular posts from this blog

La Mante (2017)

Plot Summary: Twenty-five years after being imprisoned, Jeanne Deber, a notorious serial killer known as "The Mantis," offers to help the police catch a copycat killer, but only if she can work with her estranged son, who is now a police officer. Director: Alexandre Laurent Writers: Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Nicolas Jean, GrΓ©goire Demaison, Laurent Vivier Music: FranΓ§ois Lietout Starring: Carole Bouquet as Jeanne Deber / The Mantis Fred Testot as Damien Carrot Jaques Weber as Charles Carrot Pascal Demolon as Dominique Feracci Manon Azem as Lucie Carrot Serge Riaboukine as Crozet Robinson Stevenin as Alex Crozet FredΓ©rique Bel as Virginie Delorme Jump to the Plot Explained Section   ***SPOILER ALERT*** A Boring, Wannabe Hannibal Lecter This is officially the first TV series review I'm doing here at Cine It. I'm no...

Kpop Demon Hunters (2025)

Plot Summary: Three talented young K-pop trainees discover they have supernatural abilities to battle ancient demons lurking in modern-day Korea. They must balance their demanding training for a much-anticipated debut with their secret mission to protect the world. Directors: Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans Screenplay: Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans Producer: Michelle Wong Music: Marcelo Zarvos Starring: Arden Cho as Rumi May Hong as Mira Ji-young Yoo as Zoey Ahn Hyo-seop as Jinu Yunjin Kim as Celine Ken Jeong as Bobby Lee Byung-hun as Gwi-Ma   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Peer Pressure & Pleasant Surprises My daughter came home from school the other day looking like she'd been left out of the cool kids' club because she was the only one who hadn't seen Kpop Demon Hunters. I knew right then my Satur...

The Institute (2025)

Plot Summary: Based on Stephen King's novel, The Institute follows Luke Ellis and other kidnapped children with psychic abilities who are held captive in a sinister facility where they're subjected to brutal experiments and torture to harness their powers. Based on: The Institute by Stephen King Developed by: Benjamin Cavell Executive Producers: Jack Bender, Benjamin Cavell, Gary Barber, Sam Sheridan, Shane Elrod, Ed Redlich, Stephen King Episodes: 8 episodes (Season 1) Release Date: July 13, 2025 - August 24, 2025 (MGM+) Starring: Ben Barnes as Tim Jamieson Joe Freeman as Luke Ellis Simone Miller as Kalisha Fionn Laird as Nick Hannah Galway as Wendy Gullickson Julian Richings as Stackhouse Robert Joy as Dr. Daniel Hendricks Martin Roach as Chief Ashworth Mary-Louise Parker as Ms. Sigsby Jason Diaz as Tony Season 1 Ep...

Racketeer (2007)

Plot Summary: The film follows Sayan, a talented student and boxer in Almaty, Kazakhstan, during the post-Soviet 1990s. Drawn into the criminal underworld, Sayan rises through the ranks as an extortionist, facing tough decisions and moral dilemmas. The film portrays his journey through violence, betrayal, and the harsh realities of life in a lawless environment. Director: Akan Satayev Screenplay: Timur Zhaksylykov Starring: Sayat Isembayev as Sayan Murat Bisembin as Ruslan Zhan Baizhanbayev as Jan Saken Aminov as Aman   ***SPOILER ALERT*** First Impressions and Setting Second movie of the week, and now we are finally in Kazakhstan. This movie also starts with a newborn baby crying—what's up with that? My initial thoughts were that this felt like a Guy Ritchie-style film, but without the plot complexities. I'm a sucker for those stylish shots and quick montages that seamlessly transi...

Cinanima Festival - 9th November

My Last Day at Cinanima (With Eva) For my second and, ridiculously, last day (lol) in Espinho for the 49ΒΊ Cinanima Festival, I took my daughter Eva to the Family Screening. This one was called "Mini Micro," a selection of short animations put together by Casa de AnimaΓ§Γ£o, held on November 9th at the Centro Multimeios. I'm gutted that I couldn't stay for the whole week... 😞 I really wanted to see the international and national competition screenings. But for now, I'm just doing my own little competition here at Cine It. πŸ˜› So, here's the full list of the shorts we saw, ranked from my favorite to my least favorite. πŸ“… A Quick Note By the time I'm posting this, the festival is still running (it ends on November 23rd). If you're anywhere near Espinho, make sure you catch it. It's seriously worth the visit. πŸ₯‡ Cine It Gold: Tiger (2010) In first place, no contest, is Tiger (or Tige...

Postman Blues (1997)

Postman Blues is a 1997 Japanese criminal action comedy-drama film directed and written by Hiroyuki Tanaka under the name Sabu. The film features Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Keisuke Horibe, Ren Ohsugi and Kyōko Tōyama in the lead roles. It tells the story of a postman (Shin'ichi Tsutsumi) who is mistaken by the police as a criminal. The film was released in Japan in 1997 and later in Italy in 1999 and Brazil in 2003. Hiroyuki Tanaka won the New Blood award at the 1999 Cognac Festival du Film Policier for the film. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postman_Blues Sawaki is a postman who's not quite thrilled about his boring way of life. But his life is about to change when he delivers mail to his old schoolmate Noguchi, who's now a member of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia, and just finished cutting his little finger off. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119926/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** F: We reached the end of our 90's-Crime-Japa...