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"DEATH AT A FUNERAL" (2007) (Matthew MacFadyen, Rupert Graves) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Extreme Moderate *Heavy Minor None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None None None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Mild Moderate Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Comedy: Family and friends must contend with unexpected developments and revelations at a man's funeral. PLOT: For aspiring British writer Daniel (MATTHEW MacFADYEN), times have been better. Not only has he been in the shadow of his more famous novelist brother Robert (RUPERT GRAVES) who lives in New York, but he and wife Jane (KEELEY HAWES) live with his parents, and Jane is itching to get out, especially since she clashes with her mother-in-law, Sandra (JANE ASHER). Things have become more complicated now that the brothers' father has died, with friends and family assembling for the funeral. Among them is their cousin Martha (DAISY DONAVAN), who's arrived with her fiancé Simon (ALAN TUDIK), who's never impressed her father, Victor (PETER EGAN). That's been exacerbated due to Simon accidentally ingesting hallucinogens owned by Martha's drug dealer cousin Troy (KRIS MARSHALL), resulting in Simon being high. That's complicated by Justin (EWEN BREMNER) constantly trying to hit on Martha, while Howard (ANDY NYMAN) isn't happy to be stuck transporting the cantankerous and wheelchair-bound Uncle Alfie (PETER VAUGHAN). From the funeral home delivering the wrong body to the home for the services to the diminutive Peter (PETER DINKLAGE) showing up with a secret about the deceased, things progressively spiral out of control, with Daniel and Robert having to put aside their differences to deal with the comedy of errors that arises. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens might, but beyond them, it doesn't seem too likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For language and drug content. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: MATTHEW MacFADYEN plays an aspiring writer who lives in the professional shadow of his more famous brother, all while stilling live at home with his parents, albeit with his wife who desperately wants to move out. He isn't happy about Robert's refusal to pay his share in covering funeral expenses, but that's put on the backburner when things at the funeral and revelations about their dad come to their surprise. He uses profanity. RUPERT GRAVES plays his brother, a famous writer from NYC who doesn't want to pay for any of the funeral expenses and thus clashes with Daniel over that and other matters. He also uses profanity. DAISY DONAVAN plays their cousin who clashes with her father over her seeing Simon, a point that only worsens when she accidentally gives him hallucinogens. She uses strong profanity. ALAN TUDIK plays her fiancé who spends most of the movie after unknowingly ingested hallucinogens. KRIS MARSHALL plays Martha's druggie brother who's understandably nervous when she accidentally gives Simon such a pill, thinking it's Valium. He uses strong profanity. ANDY NYMAN plays a family relative, who isn't happy with being stuck with driving Uncle Alfie to the funeral. JANE ASHER plays the deceased's grieving widow who isn't happy with an unexpected revelation about her late husband. KEELEY HAWES plays Daniel's wife who's fixated on moving out of his parents' house. PETER VAUGHAN plays a somewhat senile, angry, and wheelchair bound relative who uses strong profanity. EWEN BREMNER plays a man who's fixated on Martha despite her being engaged. He uses strong profanity and smokes. PETER DINKLAGE plays a diminutive man who shows up the funeral with plans to blackmail the family due to having been the deceased's secret gay lover. PETER EGAN plays Marsha and Troy's steely father who isn't happy that she's engaged to Simon whom he doesn't like. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated comedy. Profanity consists of at least 42 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue, some of it explicit, is present, as are several views of men's full rear nudity (played for comedy), while there's talk of a past gay relationship. One man is unintentionally high from unknowingly ingesting hallucinogens (with another being a drug dealer of some sort), and some physical comedy (the grabbing of others, one falling and hitting his head, etc.) is present, as is some crude humor. Dead bodies are briefly seen, various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, some tense family material is present, and a few characters smoke. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE We hear Troy talking on the phone to someone about some sort of drug, saying, "It will blow your f*cking head off," adding that one only needs to take half a pill for the full effect. In Troy's place, Martha unknowingly gives Simon some sort of hallucinogenic drug, thinking it's Valium (since Troy had them in a Valium bottle). From that point on, Simon hallucinates for the rest of the film (all played for comedy). Peter holds a drink in a photo. Howard finds Troy's bottle of hallucinogenic pills, but thinks they're Valium. When he encounters Robert and Daniel struggling with Peter (over him trying to blackmail the family), they tell Howard that Peter is having a seizure. Thinking he's helping, but unaware of what he's really doing, Howard then gives Peter a number of those pills. When Justin reminds Martha of their one-time sexual fling, Martha says it was a mistake, adding that she was drunk out of her mind and that he could have been a donkey. We see Alfie nude up on the roof (we see part of his bare butt) after he's mistakenly been given some of the hallucinogens. BLOOD/GORE We see the face of a dead body in a casket, and then that of another (but beyond being dead, there's nothing gross about it). Later, and unintentionally stoned and thinking he's hearing sounds from the casket, Simon accidentally overturns it, spilling the clothed body out onto the floor (played for laughs). Unintentionally stoned, Simon says he's going to be sick and runs off with his hand over his mouth, and makes his way to the bathroom, but never vomits (as far as we know). Howard talks of someone being stabbed and then there being spurting blood (not seen). In his wheelchair, Alfie states, "I've got to sh*t" and "I'm about to sh*t in my drawers," so Howard rushes to get him into the bathroom and onto the toilet (having to lift and then set him down for the latter). We then hear related sounds, and then human excrement on Howard's hand, with him reacting to that and trying to wash it off in the sink, causing the water to turn brown. Someone else then points out that Howard also has a bit (of such splatter) on his face. Later, Howard states he's more concerned with having Uncle Alfie's "sh*t in my mouth." Peter has a little bit of blood on his head. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE All of the following is played for comedy. The death in the family, and subsequent funeral, are all mostly played lightly and/or for laughs (and some viewers might not like that). Despite being a successful novelist, Robert refuses to pay for half of the funeral costs. Sandra has a bad attitude toward Jane. Justin likes Martha, and repeatedly hits on her, despite her being engaged to Simon. Peter informs Daniel and then others that he was the deceased's secret gay lover, has photos of them in the act (and says he feels like a "cheap slut"), and will use them to blackmail the family to get what he believes is his share of the inheritance. Victor tries to control Martha (his daughter) and doesn't like Simon. FRIGHTENING SCENES For those afraid of dead bodies, we see the face of one in a casket, and then that of another. Later, and unintentionally stoned and thinking he's hearing sounds from the casket, Simon accidentally overturns it, spilling the clothed body out onto the floor (played for laughs). GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "It's f*cked," "I'm f*cked," "F*cking tosser," "It will blow your f*cking head off," "F*cking bastards," "Where the f*ck have you been?" "It's a f*cking disgrace," "Jesus f*cking Christ," "What the f*ck was that all about?" "F*ck off," "Tell him to go f*ck himself," "F*cking men," "Oh f*ck," "You f*cking idiot," "He's f*cking dead," "Now we're completely f*cked," "He's four f*cking feet tall," "Totally f*cking lost," "Don't f*ck with me," "Ah sh*t," "Oh sh*t," "I'm going to kick the living sh*t out of you," "I can't deal with your sh*t," "Are you sh*tting me?" "Bullsh*t," "I've got to sh*t," "I'm about to sh*t in my drawers," "Never given a sh*t," "A cheap slut," "Shagging," "So, you're the blackmailing pr*ck," "Mickey Mouse business," "You wanker," "Freaked out," "This is bloody grim," "What the hell /are you talking about/is going on/is the matter with you/is wrong with you all/is wrong with you people/are you grinning at/did you do to him?" "Are you mental?" "Keep your hair on," "Who the hell is that guy?" "That's a damn shame," "Bloody," (You) idiot," "Shut up," "We're screwed" and "Shut it." Since it's played for comedy, some kids may be inspired to secretly give others prescription or other drugs to others to get them high. Unintentionally stoned, Simon repeatedly sucks back in spit he lets drip down from his mouth. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 42 "f" words (2 used sexually as is the term "shagging"), 28 "s" words, 1 slang term using male genitals ("pr*ck"), 1 using female ones ("tw*t"), 16 hells, 2 craps, 1 ass (used with "hole"), 1 wanker, 5 uses each of "Jesus" and "Oh God," 4 of "Jesus Christ," 3 of "Oh my God," 2 of "God" and "My God" and 1 use of "Christ," "Dear God," "Oh Christ" and "Oh Jesus." SEX/NUDITY Katie shows some cleavage. Peter informs Daniel and then others that he was the deceased's secret gay lover, has photos of them in the act (and says he feels like a "cheap slut"), and will use them to blackmail the family to get what he believes is his share of the inheritance. A small statue and a sketch drawing both show full rear nudity. Daniel reacts adversely to what's apparently his dad and Peter in some sort of sexual act (Robert later does the same, but we never see it). When Daniel first informs Peter of this news, he says (about Peter), "He was shagging dad." He also implies that Peter will detail his sex life with their dad if they don't pay his blackmail demands. Unintentionally stoned, Simon climbs out of the bathroom and onto the room, fully nude (we see his full rear nudity). Alfie starts telling some story about some young woman he once knew and states that everyone "wanted to f*ck her." When Justin reminds Martha of their one-time sexual fling, Martha says it was a mistake, adding that she was drunk out of her mind and that he could have been a donkey. Howard asks, "Do you have any idea what they do to blokes like me in prison?" Martha tells Justin he cared about her only in relation to "how I f*cked you." He then forces a kiss on her. We see various additional views of Simon's bare butt, including him up on a roof (while still high). Thinking Peter is dead, Daniel and Robert place him in their father's coffin (to try to hide the body) and end up placing him in the "69" position on top of the body below him (both are clothed), with one of the men stating, "This is what they would have wanted." To try to distract a priest, Howard lies as he admits that he has thoughts about pushing a pin up his "bum." We hear that Martha is pregnant. After seeing the photos of Peter and her late husband in sexual situations (that we don't see), Sandra attacks Peter and has to be restrained. About his mother just now being aware of his father's affair with Peter, Robert says she now knows why it's been so long since "she and dad had sex." We see Alfie nude up on the roof (we see part of his bare butt) after he's mistakenly been given some of the hallucinogens. SMOKING Justin smokes a number of times, while Troy smokes at least once. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Sandra looks a bit dazed via grief regarding now being a widow. Daniel and Robert have a bit of a strained brotherly relationship. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Death and funerals. Why sad events, such as funerals, can sometimes inspire humor. Taking someone else's prescription medication with or without their knowledge. Strained family relationships. VIOLENCE Alfie repeatedly pokes Howard with his cane. Upon learning he was accidentally drugged, Simon grabs Troy by his clothes. After learning Peter is the man who's going to blackmail them, Robert grabs and struggles with him. We see Peter bound and gagged. While unintentionally high (and bound and gagged), Peter bounces on a sofa, slips off, and bangs his head on the edge of a glass table, breaking the latter. He then lies there motionless, making others believe he's dead. After seeing the photos of Peter and her late husband in sexual situations (that we don't see), Sandra attacks Peter and has to be restrained. Reviewed June 7, 2007 / Posted August 17, 2007

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