CASEY PHILLIPS: When I saw the original "Death at a Funeral," I was blown away by its somewhat twisted sense of humor and Alan Tudyk's memorable portrayal of acting under the influence. That was way back in 2007, so clearly, a remake was long overdue.
Actually, remake is stretching it. Nothing is different, except we're now in Los Angeles and there's an ensemble cast of black comedians instead of pasty, hilarious Brits (except Peter Dinklage, who is remarkably less funny this time). Screenwriter Dean Craig reprises his role, and while his jokes are still funny, the subtlety is absent. The movie assumes you aren't intelligent, so it exaggerates everything and rams the punchline in your face, which is insulting.
Strangely, Chris Rock and Tracy Morgan, the funniest of the bunch, aren't allowed to be their normal outrageous selves, whereas Martin "Slayer of Comedies" Lawrence is given more lines than he warrants.
HOLLY LEBER: Hollywood, we need to talk. I get that remakes or reimaginings are highly en vogue right now (or at least that's the party-line excuse for lacking original ideas). Some are acceptable. Others, not so much. Matthew Broderick reportedly has said he would be cool with a remake of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," a statement that ought to earn him a ride through the sausage king of Chicago's meat grinder.
One can argue for revisiting the '80s, to an extent. There's a nostalgia factor there. But 2007? It's 2010. How do you get nostalgic for three years ago?
CASEY: Thank you, Holly, for that enormous tangent. Now back to discussing the movie.
The film continually references things like collard greens, fried chicken and R. Kelly for the black family at the center of the plot. It's as if Craig decided the new target audience needed the comfort of stereotypes to feel at home.
HOLLY: Truthfully, there's not much to really say about this movie that isn't a commentary on how unnecessary it is. James Marsden, as the inadvertently drugged-up fiance of one of the family members, was amusing, but as Casey said, Alan Tudyk's interpretation of the same circumstance was so brilliant that what would have been quite funny as a standalone performance became lackluster by comparison. And that's pretty much what I can say about the whole film. It was fine. If it were a college student in the late '60s, it would have earned a gentleman's C.
I just don't see a point in remaking something so well done so soon. It's a bit disrespectful, kind of akin to taking a date to your husband's funeral.
CASEY: To be honest, I'm dreading the next inevitable remake, which will run in 2012 and feature a Latin family, starring George Lopez and America Ferrera. Never mind, that's "Our Family Wedding."
REVIEWED THIS WEEK
Movie: "Death at a Funeral."
Starring: Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Peter Dinklage, James Marsden, Tracy Morgan and Zoe Saldana.
Rating: R for language, drug content and some sexual humor.
Synopsis: Grief does strange things to a family.
critics' ratings
Casey Phillips: 2 stars out of 5
Holly Leber: 2 stars out of 5