And then there really will be a lot – a very different and very strange people will gather at the funeral. The point is that not all of these people just came to see the deceased on his last journey and express condolences to his wife and son. No, most of them care about anything but the dead. Someone needs money, someone hopes to start an affair, and the priest is in a hurry to fulfill his duties and leave as soon as possible. How can a mournful and pathetic rite not turn into a formal buffoon - the triumph of the absurd in the best traditions of English humor?
I didn’t get bored while watching. The writers managed to concoct such a wild panopticum of “morning relatives” and their acquaintances that the situation has become absolutely unpredictable, and only one thing is clear – anything will happen except what may be appropriate at the funeral.
However, with all the “persistence” (in the literal sense – some participants of the event against their will will have to engage in “expansion of consciousness”), the comedy does not slide to delusional thrash. It’s just that at such a mournful moment, random people always appear nearby who are present for reasons of decency or some personal purpose – and who is to blame for the fact that at these funerals the number of such people exceeded a critical mass?
The film is not without meaning. First of all, it is about the fact that life goes on - and at the funeral everyone makes plans for the future, start love affairs, find out the relationship. At first, it makes even an unpleasant impression - the person died, and nobody cares. But then comes the understanding: it is so great that the living continue to live, and let the deceased stay in peace — along with his skeletons in the closet and controversial past. And is it really necessary that he was necessarily “an outstanding person” – he was, was as he was, and will not become another, regardless of who knows what about him. And isn’t it really better for all those gathered to take care of their future – to stop spending money on nonsense, to pursue a woman who rejected you long ago, to interfere in the affairs of their grown-up children?
But first of all, this is a very funny film about very strange people. And a big thank you to the actors for their performance – especially Alan Tudick for the really crazy look, Peter Dinklage, who played a negative character this time and Chris Marshall for his image of a fussy grief-pharmacist.
Result: 90 minutes of laughter without a break. The only thing - it would be possible to do without toilet jokes, for them minus one point. But the movie is still great.
9 out of 10
Original