"I don't even recognize some of these people....Who the $%# is that guy?!"
Written: Apr 24 '08 (Updated Aug 16 '09)
Product Rating:
Pros: Everything and everyone.
Cons: Well...TOO OTT with the grossness and proFanity.
The Bottom Line: Might make your next family funeral a little easier to face (funeral-wise and/or relative-wise). But hopefully very few of you will be having to face any soon.
Everyone has relatives that they only seem to see at weddings and funerals. This is so true at the funeral of a fine old English gentleman named Edward that somebody turns up whom NOBODY can identify. He's not a relative; he was a friend of the deceased. Some friend, as the family finds out....
Meanwhile, Cousin Martha (Daisy Donovan of DAISY DOES AMERICA and MY FAMILY) brings her fiance, Simon (Alan Tudyk, "Father" in the STRANGERS WITH CANDY 2-part "cult" episode, among other credits), but attempts to soothe his nervousness over meeting her family go awry thanks to her brother Troy (Kris Marshall, also of MY FAMILY). "Howard" (Andy Nyman) got lumbered with the BEYOND-thankless job of adult-nannying elderly Uncle Alfie (Peter Vaughan) and would probably prefer Death by Chocolate in the form of Willy Wonka's chocolate river to what eventually happens to him. Daniel's wife Jane (Keeley Hawes) can't wait to get away from her similarly-thankless existence of bearing up under the frosty criticism of mother-in-law Sandra (Jane Asher, continuing her uber-ubiquity in my recent reviews). Daniel and Jane are just about FINANCIALLY ready to put down a deposit on A! Flat! Of! Our! Own!!!!! Just about....
The opening credits are simultaneously "proper" and whimsical, accompanied by just the right light-classical score by Murray Gold (assisted by Olga Fitzroy, Ben Foster, and Ben Foskett; supervised by Becky Bentham). The procession leads to a lush country-home setting to which the casket is delivered...and the first thing goes wrong with this funeral of an "exceptional man," as Daniel has been preparing to start the eulogy. Yes, Daniel will be speaking--not his brother Robert, the New-York-based writer portrayed by Rupert Graves (yes, really!). Robert finally shows up to the kind of reception that Brad Garrett's Robert Barone of EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND would have relished.
Considering Robert Barone's profession on RAYMOND, maybe he should have hopped across the pond to monitor the goings-on at this gathering. The usual family-funeral stuff ensues? Sure, it's probably "usual" in SOME families: F-bombs frequently fall; the surprise guest (Peter Dinklage) wreaks considerable havoc; and Simon makes quite the opposite of headway with his prospective father-in-law, Sandra's older brother Victor (Peter Egan). However, the crusty old gentleman might prefer Simon to the other young fellow present who has his eye on Martha: Justin (Ewen Bremner, totally recognizable from TRAINSPOTTING, where his character got caught in a cr*pstorm of his own making, I believe?). Justin has tagged along with Howard; Howard had forgotten about Uncle Alfie at first, but Justin had presented enough of a problem without him ("Do you have to smoke? I don't want your cancer," Howard protests in the car). But what does he have in mind for Martha and her dad? And what does the mysterious diminutive stranger have in mind for this whole assemblage? Well, there are several reviews here already, so you probably have a pretty good idea--but really, there's nothing like seeing it for yourself.
Matthew Macfadyen and Keeley Hawes (LOVE the name--so English!) previously appeared together in the British TV series SPOOKS, which is still going strong; in ASHES TO ASHES (a BBC-quel to LIFE ON MARS); and other projects--and they're off-screen partners as well! On her own, Hawes does Lara Croft's voice in the TOMB RAIDER video game, has appeard with Steve Coogan in TRISTRAM SHANDY: A COCK AND BULL STORY, and can be seen with Daniel Craig in the upcoming FLASHBACKS OF A FOOL that recently had its UK premieres.
Recommended:
Yes
Viewing Format: DVD Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older
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