Aaron’s father’s funeral is today at the family home, and everything goes wrong: the funeral home delivers the wrong body; a cousin gives her fiancé a Valium from her brother’s apartment, not knowing her brother is dealing drugs – it’s LSD and the fiancé arrives at the funeral wildly stoned; Aaron’s younger brother, Ryan, a successful writer, flies in from New York broke but arrogant; one uncle is angry over his daughter’s choice of boyfriends, and the other is cranky and coarse. Add an ovulating wife, a jealous ex-boyfriend, and a short stranger who wants a word with Aaron – what could he want? Would another death solve Aaron’s problems? And what about the eulogy?
A re-imagining of “Death at a Funeral,” the 2007 MGM comedy directed by Frank Oz. The plan is to make an ensemble comedy about a funeral ceremony that leads to the digging up of shocking family secrets, as well as misplaced cadavers and indecent exposure. While the original was set in Britain, the new film will take place in an urban American setting.
Directed by Neil LaBute, Death at a Funeral is a hilarious day in the life of an American family come together to put a beloved husband and father to rest. As mourners gather at the family home, shocking revelations, festering resentments, ugly threats, blackmail and a misdirected corpse unleash lethal and riotous mayhem.
Death at a Funeral is a 2010 American ensemble comedy film directed by Neil LaBute with a screenplay by Dean Craig based on the 2007 British film of the same name that Craig wrote. Peter Dinklage is the only actor returning in the remake.
About the Story
The film revolves around the funeral service for the father of Aaron (Chris Rock) and Ryan (Martin Lawrence). Aaron, the older son, and his wife Michelle (Regina Hall) live at his parents’ home. Aaron and Michelle have been trying to buy their own home and have children but have been unsuccessful. Aaron envies Ryan because Ryan is a successful author, while he has not yet had his novel published, and resents his brother because Ryan would rather spend money on a first class airline ticket than help him pay for the funeral expenses.
Aaron and Ryan’s cousin Elaine (Zoe Saldana) and her fiance Oscar (James Marsden) are on their way to pick up Elaine’s brother Jeff (Columbus Short) before heading to the funeral. To ease Oscar’s nerves, she gives him a pill from a bottle labeled as Valium. Jeff later reveals to Elaine that it is a powerful hallucinogenic drug he has concocted for a friend. Chaos ensues when Oscar hallucinates that the coffin is moving. He knocks it over, and the body falls out of the coffin.
Aaron is approached by an unknown guest, a dwarf named Frank (Peter Dinklage), who reveals himself to be the secret lover of his late father. Frank shows Aaron photos as proof and threatens to reveal them to Aaron’s mother unless he is paid $30,000. Aaron tells Ryan, who suggests Aaron pay the money because Ryan claims he is buried in debt. When Aaron and Ryan meet with him to pay him, Frank starts to deride Aaron’s ability as a writer and Aaron refuses to pay.
Frank begins to turn violent and puts his hand in his pocket, and tries to leave the room. Ryan attacks Frank and both Aaron and Ryan tie Frank up to prevent him from leaving. Norman (Tracy Morgan) comes in and sees what has happened. He gives Frank several doses of what he also believes is Valium to try to calm him down, before Jeff tells them it is the same hallucinogen Oscar took earlier.
Death at a Funeral (2010)
Directed by: Neil LaBute
Starring: Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Martin Lawrence, Loretta Devine, Ron Glass, Danny Glover, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Martin Lawrence, James Marsden, Regine Nehy, Katelyn Statton
Screenplay by: Dean Craig
Production Design by: Jon Gary Steele
Cinematography by: Rogier Stoffers
Film Editing by: Tracey Wadmore-Smith
Costume Design by: Maya Lieberman
Set Decoration by: Dena Roth
Art Direction by: Chris Cornwell
Music by: Christophe Beck
MPAA Rating: R for language, drug content and some sexual humor.
Distributed by: Sony ScreenGems
Release Date: April 16, 2010
