ON DVD - Eulogy
(from the archives - 2004)
Eulogy writer and director Michael Clancy has little else on his list of theatrical accomplishments. But when your first film is as solid as this one, it may not be a bad idea to just go ahead and quit.
Eulogy is a black comedy – so black that its only subjects are family dysfunction and death - and it must be hard to make such dark premises genuinely hilarious. But Clancy has no trouble.
The ensemble cast is without a weak link. Hank Azaria and Zooey Deschanel lead as a Daniel and Kate Collins, a father and daughter who embark on a road trip for the funeral of the family patriarch. But the film quickly becomes less about the passing of a father and more about the lifelong issues among the family members he left behind. Piper Laurie, Kelly Preston, Ray Romano and Debra Winger all adequately contribute to the mess that is the Collins clan and create a family that is both irritating and somehow relatable.
The real star of the film, though, is the script. Eulogy’s plot twists and punch lines are inventive and paced well enough to stay complete surprises. And Clancy makes sure that the film doesn’t over-stay its welcome – even the credits are over before the 90-minute mark.
Eulogy is a black comedy – so black that its only subjects are family dysfunction and death - and it must be hard to make such dark premises genuinely hilarious. But Clancy has no trouble.
The ensemble cast is without a weak link. Hank Azaria and Zooey Deschanel lead as a Daniel and Kate Collins, a father and daughter who embark on a road trip for the funeral of the family patriarch. But the film quickly becomes less about the passing of a father and more about the lifelong issues among the family members he left behind. Piper Laurie, Kelly Preston, Ray Romano and Debra Winger all adequately contribute to the mess that is the Collins clan and create a family that is both irritating and somehow relatable.
The real star of the film, though, is the script. Eulogy’s plot twists and punch lines are inventive and paced well enough to stay complete surprises. And Clancy makes sure that the film doesn’t over-stay its welcome – even the credits are over before the 90-minute mark.
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