Alicia
I love this movie so much
SnoReptilePlenty
Memorable, crazy movie
Kaydan Christian
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
patrick powell
Ain't nothing divides the good folk who write a review for IMDb like a good film. And the better the film, the more extreme their views are. The Funeral is described by some who, like me, enjoy adding their two ha'porth worth to the User Review pages as 'a waste of time', 'pointless' and 'abysmal'. Don't believe a word of it. Abel Ferrara might not have the technical skills of Spielberg or his fellow New York director Scorsese, but what he does almost peerlessly is to get brilliant performances from his players who obviously relish the screenplays he and his scriptwriter conjure up for them. There is something almost magical about the films this guy comes up with, and The Funeral is a sparkling example. Set in Depression-era America, it tells a simple tale of death and revenge. But there is so much more to it than that. It is not an 'action film', which some believe Mafia drama should be, but a superb character study in the lives of three brothers. One of them is bright, though ruthless, one insane and ruthless, and the third subscribes to Communist ideas but is equally ruthless. None is nice. Their wives suffer badly. But the 'story' is only the half of it. What is outstanding is how Ferrara builds a world out of nothing. This is low-budget stuff - the sound quality is at times a little dicky - but what that tells you is that you don't need big bucks to make great films. In fact, considering some of the dreck which is churned out on multi-million dollar budgets, there might even be a rule that the bigger the budget, the more likely the film will be a clunker. The Funeral is in the same stable of The Conversation: it misses popular acclaim by a country mile but that is because your average flick viewer wouldn't know class from an empty tub of popcorn. The Funeral is the real deal if you like films. But don't take my word for how good it is, watch it and see for yourself.
wes-connors
Possibly psychotic mobster brothers Christopher Walken (as Raimundo "Ray" Tempio) and Chris Penn (as Cesarino "Chez" Tempio) gather with family for "The Funeral" of brother Vincent Gallo (Giovanni "Johnny" Tempio). Like good gangsters, they want to kill the mysterious, dark-clothed figure who shot Mr. Gallo. They pin the hit on rival crime lord Benicio del Toro (as Gaspare Spoglia); brother Gallo has been copulating with his wife three times a week. A nasty character, Mr. Walken wants to chop off Mr. del Toro's legs and slit his throat. And, Mr. Penn begins losing his marbles. But, while the hunt is on, we get to know the three brothers through flashbacks...While the performances are all fine, the young actors in the early flashback do not match the present day brothers, who do not even remotely resemble each other. Moreover, at his brother's casket, Penn states "Johnny" died at age 22, which would put Walken, Penn, and Gallo in their early to mid-twenties. The storyline takes time to decipher, which is fine; but, it does leave a few questions unanswered. Director Abel Ferrara and Ken Kelsch contribute great style. It's a man's movie, with memorable bookend roles for Paul Hipp (as Ghouly) and Patrick McGaw (in the cooler); but, wives Isabella Rossellini (as Clara) and Annabella Sciorra (as Jean) also hit the mark.****** The Funeral (8/28/96) Abel Ferrara ~ Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Vincent Gallo, Benicio del Toro
merklekranz
I am of the opinion that Abel Ferrara's movies have been steadily declining since "Ms45". Way too much symbolism, religious guilt, and boredom have invaded efforts like "The Funeral". Might as well add a good dose of confusion on top of everything else. This one drifts back and forth in time almost as randomly as a doodlebug puddles about on a pond. The cast is excellent, Walken, Del Toro, Penn, give it their all, but the script is so muddled the whole thing just sort of collapses into a void of smoke and mirrors. The ending especially is less than satisfying. I mean an innocent Del Toro is killed, only to end with a crazed Penn lighting up the family and then blowing his brains out? Who cares? I certainly didn't. - MERK
jannagal
The Funeral is a dark and gritty story that plumbs the characters in a New York band of criminal brothers. It doesn't have the romantic sweep of a Godfather movie, nor the rawness of Scarface. But it does have great acting: the cold, sinister aloofness of the leader-brother(Christopher Walken); the raging insanity of the bartender-brother(Chris Penn); and, the cockiness of the younger communist-influenced brother. Annabella Scioria as the wife with a tortured psyche who "had two years of college", and Bennissio del Toro, as the suave and slick rival mobster round out the terrific cast.But the movie does have some problems. The abrupt, "surprise" ending is consistent with the arcs in the movie, and is supported by trends in the characters' developments, but seems unsatisfying. Also, long philosophical conversations between killer and victims seems unrealistic. While these conversations(and flashback sequences) give insight into characters, it just doesn't seem likely.Watch this movie if you are a fan of crime/Mafia films, and you can enjoy a thoughtful introspection of characters and relationships between characters. Don't watch it if you want to see a "thrill-a-minute", or explosions every other scene.
