Foreign film remakes. Sometimes they’re great — “The Departed” and “The Birdcage” come to mind — while other times it would have been best if they had stayed in their original language (“Wicker Park,” “Swept Away”). But Neil LaBute’s (“Lakeview Terrace”) “Death at a Funeral,” an adaptation of the 2007 British film of the same name, proves that sometimes a foreign film remake can fall somewhere in between.
While the film’s setting moves from England to Los Angeles, the storyline follows almost scene for scene with the original, including a role reprisal by Peter Dinklage (“Saint John of Las Vegas”) as the lover of the recently deceased. The only big difference between the two films is that a predominantly African American cast chalk full of some of the most popular black comedians replaces the original English actors.
The ensemble cast is headed by Chris Rock (“Good Hair”) as Aaron, an uptight man whose father has just passed away, leaving him with a eulogy to write and a funeral to pay for. Rock is funny, but his acting comes across as forced when he focuses too much on each individual joke rather than the entire script and storyline itself.
Collectively, the large cast works together well, playing off of each other’s jokes and humorous situations. Martin Lawrence (“College Road Trip”) also stars as Ryan, Aaron’s successful younger brother, who provides comical situations such as hitting on a barely legal family friend all the while mourning his father’s death.
Along with Rock and Lawrence, the cast of “Death at a Funeral” also includes numerous well-known actors such as Danny Glover (“2012”), though best known for his action film roles, does a hilarious job as crotchety Uncle Russell. Tracy Morgan (“Cop Out”) is also funny as Norman, a diluted version of the mentally unstable characters Morgan usually plays. Even everyone’s favorite AT&T guy Luke Wilson (“Tenure”) takes a break from his spokesperson duties to play a lovesick funeral attendee. With these appearances, it is clear that one of the main draws to the film is the broad appeal of the group of actors, each with a memorable role that adds to the picture as a whole.
Perhaps the best role belongs to James Marsden (“The Box”) as Oscar, a regular guy who accompanies his girlfriend Elaine (Zoe Saldana, “Avatar”) to her uncle’s funeral while tripping on acid, accidentally of course. Marsden plays the role convincingly and charmingly, a feat that is easier said than actually done.
For director LaBute, “Death at a Funeral” could potentially serve as somewhat of a redemption film with his most recent movies being “Lakeshore Terrace” and “The Wicker Man.” LaBute’s adaptation proves to be funny, yet it lacks the fresh quality the original British version had. Thankfully, his cast of likeable actors and their own take on the roles add to the charm and quirk of the film.
At times, the many storylines in “Death” can be confusing and almost unnecessary for the overall plot and humor. And while there are funny scenes abundant, the fact that there are so many overemphasized crazy situations, which involve everything from hallucinating guests to over-the-top casket shenanigans, makes the whole film seem redundant and unbelievable after a certain point.
Compared to the original “Death at a Funeral,” the American version, at times, comes off as trying too hard to get laughs, whereas in the British version, the cast seems less aware of the comedic opportunities in the script. And that alone makes every unthinkable situation within the story more convincing. Although LaBute’s adaptation and acting has a somewhat unconvincing quality, the charisma of the cast itself, along with several genuinely funny scenes manage to redeem the film.
While “Death at a Funeral” may not be the next great foreign film adaptation, it still deserves credit it as an entertaining film with its fair share of laughs.
3 stars out of 5
