DVD review: Death at a Funeral ***

Death at a Funeral ***

Stars: Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Danny Glover
Director: Neil LaBute
Rated: R
Runtime: 92 minutes
Comedy

A funeral ceremony explodes into farce thanks to misplaced bodies, rowing families, accidental drugtaking and the exposure of a shocking family secret.

The plot may seem very familiar because it is a remake of a 2007 British movie directed by Frank Oz.

Yep, Hollywood is now so desperate it is reworking three-year-old movies.

But the producers clearly thought this clever original could be improved upon by adding more profanity, slapstick, strikes to the groin and poop gags.

In other words, leave your brain at the door.

The movies focuses on brothers Aaron (Chris Rock) and Ryan (Martin Lawrence) whose family and friends join them as they lay their beloved father to rest.

As the mourners gather at the family home, relevations, resentments and blackmail all rear their ugly head, as does the exposure of their dad’s secret double life — being “bromantically” involved with a dwarf.

It’s certainly an offbeat funeral with a few decent gags among the toilet humour and comic stars Rock, Lawrence and Tracy Morgan are a big draw.

Watch if you liked: Our Family Wedding.