Death at a Funeral review

The movie, which is a remake of the 2006 British comedy about a family gathering that spirals out of control from one disaster to the next, has an all-star cast that is sure to attract movie-goers at the box office.
Directed by Neil LaBute, the new version features class act comedians – Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan and Kevin Hart. The original backdrop for “Death at a Funeral” was a rural village, with the modern-day adaptation set in middle-class black L.A, making it a smooth African-American revamp.
The story line is about a family uniting to mourn the loss of their father while paying their condolences at the funeral. The day gets off to a bad start when the mortician delivers the wrong body in the right casket – a minor hiccup compared to what follows.

Aaron (Chris Rock) plays the eldest son of the recently deceased patriarch and a frustrated writer who’s married to Michelle (Regina Hall). The extended relatives who arrive at the family home for the viewing are: Aaron’s younger brother Ryan (Martin Lawrence), a successful trash novelist; Cousin Elaine (Zoe Saldana) and her fiancé Oscar (James Marsden); cranky Uncle Russell (Danny Glover); family friends Norman (Tracy Morgan) and Derek (Luke Wilson).
A vial of pharmaceutical-grade hallucinogens mislabeled “Valium” and a grim little man with a secret regarding the deceased send things into overdrive. The latter is played by Peter Dinklage, who reprised his role from the original film.
Despite mixed reviews from critics, “Death at a Funeral” is sure to get a few gut-busting laughs from the crowd. “Death at a Funeral has that pleasant, bumptious vibe, even when the performances don’t hit their marks,” says Boston Globe writer Ty Burr.
It may not be everything it’s cracked up to be, but overall it sounds worth the $10 and tub of popcorn.