Death at a Funeral (2007)
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A family's attempt to navigate the funeral of their patriarch descends into chaotic absurdity when a series of mishaps and secrets come to light.
The story
Daniel and his wife Jane live in England with his parents, while his brother Robert, a renowned novelist, arrives from New York City for their father Edward's funeral. While Daniel struggles to deliver a eulogy, various complications arise among the guests. Daniel's cousin Martha and her fiancé Simon find themselves in a state of distress when Simon is given a hallucinogenic drug. As the service begins, the situation spirals out of control, leading to a series of escalating mishaps that threaten the solemnity of the occasion and the stability of the family.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
During the funeral of Edward, his son Daniel struggles with the eulogy while his brother Robert refuses to help with expenses. Martha's fiancé, Simon, hallucinates after taking a drug made by Martha's brother Troy, causing him to tip over the coffin and eventually threaten to jump from the roof. Meanwhile, a man named Peter reveals he was Edward's lover and attempts to blackmail the family with compromising photos. After the brothers bind and gag Peter, he falls and is mistaken for dead by Troy and Howard. They place his body in the coffin with Edward. Martha eventually talks Simon down from the roof by claiming she is pregnant. During the resumed service, the still-alive Peter bursts out of the coffin, revealing the photos to the family. Daniel delivers a heartfelt impromptu eulogy. In the end, it is revealed that Uncle Alfie is also on the roof naked after being given 'Valium' by Jane, mirroring Simon's earlier predicament.
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 90
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Frank Oz
- Writers
- Dean Craig · writer; Dean Craig · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ewen Bremner; Peter Dinklage · Peter; Matthew Macfadyen; Kris Marshall; Alan Tudyk
- Genres
- comedy; black comedy; slapstick
- Themes
- family dynamics; grief; secrets; sibling rivalry
- Tone and mood
- farce; slapstick; wacky; dark
- Premise and plot tags
- comedy; black comedy; farce; slapstick
- Source material / true-story basis
- Dean Craig’s screenplay
- Content notes
- black comedy
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, described as a rousing British farce with slapstick silliness and sophisticated, dark humor. It was praised for its ensemble cast and pacing, though some critics found the sibling subplot weak and certain jokes dated.
- Awards and nominations
- Audience Award · US Comedy Arts Festival · win; Audience Award · Locarno International Film Festival · win
- Production trivia
- The film was shot at Ealing Studios in London.; It is the most recent feature film directed by Frank Oz as of 2026.; A Hindi remake titled Daddy Cool was released in 2009.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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