In Death at a Funeral, Matthew MacFadyen's dad dies and his funeral is a complete disaster. We see all sorts of uncomfortable situations -- all (poorly) tied up by a single bottle of Valium (actually filled with some sort of acid).
The movie relies way too much on the workings of the powered-up-Valium pills, which keep crossing the paths of many of the invitees and supporting the mayhem.
The first victim of the crazy Valium pill is Alan Tudyk, who then goes on to spend most of the movie high and naked.
In addition to the Valium plot, the story pretty much revolves around Peter Dinklage's character and his affair with the dead guy (we learn that from the trailer). With the Shipwreck rating, you can tell I did not like the way in which the gayety was handled.
To the movie's credit, I couldn't tell any homophobic slurs, but still, I couldn't help but come out of the movie with the impression we were made fun of in a bad way. My hubby seems to agree with my take on the movie, but a great friend (gay, also Brazilian, hot and sort of single) who saw the movie with me thoroughly enjoyed it -- I think he was not at all bothered by the portrayal of the gays. I don't know, maybe just the bitter old queens are bothered by this one...
I will talk about the gay content in Death at a Funeral after the jump (I will reveal a lot, be warned).
[SPOILER AHEAD]
So, we find out that Peter Dinklage is the dead guy's lover. We also find out that he goes to the party in order to blackmail the family (basically through MacFadyen) because his lover left him with nothing. Instead of exploring the injustice gays face when their loved ones die, and maybe how a wife suffers as a result of societal pressure to keep gay men in the closet (although I concede both issues would require greater skills at comedy making), the movie takes the far easier (but nasty) road of trying (and failing miserably as far as I am concerned) to get some cheap laughs out of the situation. All the while making the gays look pretty bad.
Our little gay dated a married man and now we are made to think that all the little gay cares about is a few thousand pounds through blackmail. Our little gay is given the acid-Valium, tied up, beaten up, then, when somehow people think he accidentally died, he is laid to rest in the same coffin with his lover, not out of compassion, but to hide the additional death at the funeral. It's all pretty bad on the gay front.
Ilove your reviw... and i love the chicago soundtrack.... thje roxy song is great
Posted by: Children Anxiety Disorder | Mar 23, 2009 at 03:26 AM
I enjoyed the film! Quite a lot of people do not "get" British humor thats why you may have felt unsatisfied. Id say watch a different British comedy and then watch the film again.
Posted by: Nigel | Nov 10, 2007 at 01:37 AM