Ask any true cinemaphile, and they will tell you that 2007 was an especially wonderful year for cinema, though be warned, the reason may surprise you.
The true gem was not Ratatouille, Disney’s quirky animated flick about the underground world of mice in Paris, or the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men which cemented their reputations as masters of the macabre and scored them Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture.
It wasn’t Juno, Knocked Up or any other tale of untimely pregnancy that earned not only big laughs, but unprecedented millions in profits, nor was it any film in the a string of summer trilogies which sent moviegoers racing to theaters to see Captain Jack Sparrow, Spiderman and Shrek take their final bows.
No, the real scene-stealer was a little-known indie which, though the recipient of unanimous critical acclaim, failed to show up on the radar of general audiences. While millions sat in dark theaters, captivated by the mediocrity of the ‘blockbusters’ that were rocking the main-stream entertainment world, the year’s true treasure found itself buried because of a deadly combination of an unfamiliar cast and poor marketing.
I stumbled upon Death at a Funeral when the evening showing of No Country for Old Men at a local artsy movie-theater was sold out. My initial disappointment was short-lived, fading into oblivion within the first few minutes when it became clear that the somber-sounding title was a misnomer. An hour and a half later, as I walked out with my stomach literally aching from laughter, my mind was made up: Death at a Funeral was the most hilarious movie I had ever seen. Thus, it is probably easy to imagine my horror when I discovered that Screen Gems, the North Carolina-based offshoot of Sony Pictures known for its garbage remakes like the epically terrible Prom Night, was taking this masterpiece and spinning it into an ‘Americanized’ reinterpretation of the British comedy.
After a little whining and a lot of hesitation, I grudgingly agreed to see the resurrected version of the film I hold so dear while trying to suppress visions of the butchered dialogue and unsuccessful character reprisals that are common elements of other remakes.
I just couldn’t picture crude comedian Chris Rock playing Matthew MacFayden’s (who is best known for his role as Mr. Darcy in, ironically, a remake of Pride and Prejudice) iconic role as the victimized protagonist who spends the film scrambling to keep the assorted antics of his crazy family under control while attending the funeral of his father.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my concerns were completely baseless. Rock’s portrayal of Aaron, the elder son of the deceased, is incredibly effective in earning serious sympathy points as he deals with his baby-crazed wife (Regina Hall), hysterical mother (Loretta Devine), arrogant brother (Martin Lawrence) and the appearance of his father’s secret lover (Peter Dinklage). An increasingly rediculous series of crises ranging from a grumpy uncle (Danny Glover), to a drug-addled cousin-in-law (James Marsdan) and a venomous blackmailing dwarf (Peter Dinklage), ensues and, thanks to Rock’s comedic chops, deliver the same dose of side-splitting laughter as the original. The performances of fellow actors Luke Wilson and Tracy Morgan, who play bit roles as a pair of buddies with ulterior motives for attending the funeral, also add to the hilarity of the new, revamped version. James Marsdan’s portrayal of an accidental acid dropper who makes a terrible first impression on his future in-laws with a string of mistakes such as knocking over the coffin and threatening suicide while naked on the roof, is another unfogettablely hilarious performance.
Though the praise for this film, which, like the original, has garnered critical acclaim, is warranted, it is impossible to overlook a few weaknesses that dim the shine of an otherwise stellar remake. Zoe Saldana, who has shot to stardom with recent appearances in Star Trek and Avatar, was thoroughly unimpressive in her role as Elaine, Aaron’s cousin who is forced to to spend the day of mourning grappling with a drug-dealing brother and an out-of-control fiancee. Instead of milking the comedic opportunity for all its worth, Saldana did what has become her trademark: whine about her situation and alternate facial expressions between blank stares and squinty scowls in a failed plea for audience sympathy.
Apart from Saldana’s disappointing performance, there is little that keeps Death at a Funeral from being a true comedic masterpiece. If you are a fan of ramekin and warm, light-hearted joking banter then this will probably make you squeamish. However, if you’ve got a strong stomach and an appetite for dark, twisted, often irreverent humor mixed with a complicated plot line and outrageous dialogue, then this one’s for you.
