TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

mlevans When I first discovered Eulogy at a video store three or four years ago, it quickly became one of my favorite newer films. In fact, I would have sworn I had reviewed it here long ago.Michael Clancy, who must have a heck of a day job, showed potential to possibly be another Lasse Hallstrom, Wes Anderson or Jean-Pierre Jeunet in this little gem, then disappeared as quickly as he had come. Other than a highly touted short film in 1996, this has been Clancy's only film. This is a true pity. One aches to see whether or not he could have followed Hallstrom and Anderson's footsteps and made the transition from small indie success to studio success. He certainly seemed to have a deft hand in writing and directing Eulogy.Eulogy is a quirky little dark comedy in the Royal Tenenbaums, Amelie, Garden State, Gilbert Grape family. It combines some very subtle humor with some relatively course slapstick laughs. This, combined with the bizarre but lovable family, makes a satisfying whole.The lovely Zooey Deschanel is the solid glue that holds the frantic elements of the movie together, just as her character, Katie, performs the same duty for the dysfunctional family. She is actually the story's narrator and her attempt to carry out her late grandfather's wishes and pass on the news of his passing – and how this effort pans out – provides the basis of the story and an extra slice of irony.Without giving away the ending, let us just say that things just keep getting more bizarre as the story moves along. Edmund Collins (Rip Torn) has just died – apparently via suicide – and his estranged children Daniel (Hank Azaria), Lucy (Kelly Preston), Skip (Ray Ramano) and Alice (Debra Winger) return home to help their mother, Charlotte (Piper Laurie) tend to the arrangements.The reunion is memorable. Lesbianism, wise-guy kids, some romances, suicide attempts and a very bizarre funeral service are just a few of the events that will keep most viewers laughing. It is a dark comedy and not one for everyone. Generally speaking, most anyone who loved The Royal Tenenbaums, Garden State or Amalie will probably love Eulogy. Anyone who didn't get those films need not bother watching this one either.Laurie is very good as the depressed widow, while Azaria, Ramano, Winger and Preston are hilarious as the maladjusted siblings who have to come to terms with their late father's frequent absences during their childhoods. Jesse Bradford is solid as Katie's unlucky love interest, while Famke Janssen and Glenne Headly are great as Lucy's lesbian life partner and a helpful nurse respectively. Mark Harelik, Matthew Feder, Allisyn Ashley Arm and Jordan Moen are fun as Alice's silently suffering family, while Rene Auberjonois is tremendous in a brief appearance as a local clergyman. Brian Posehn makes a nice addition as the video store clerk. Real-life twins Curtis and Keith Garcia, meanwhile, nearly steal the show as wise-guy twins Ted and Fred.This is an enjoyable dark comedy with a little bit of everything, including a good soundtrack. I hope Clancy gives up his day job again soon and tries another movie. He definitely made this one a keeper.

Chrysanthepop I was up very late last night and I thought I would watch half this movie before sleeping and the other half today. But, I was laughing so much during the whole 90 minutes that I wasn't even much aware of how much time went by. It's been ages since my jaw ached from watching a movie. 'Eulogy' is one of the funniest films. There have been numerous movies about dysfunctional families but what makes this one different is the unique characters, the novel jokes, the excellent ensemble cast, a fresh script and it's genuine fun.Michael Clancy's direction and screenplay are quite amusing. It would have been very easy to mess up a film like this one by adhering to clichés but Clancy's novel treatment makes it a refreshing experience. Where else will you hear lines like 'You don't throw a lemon at me in front of a lesbian' or 'She has made a business out of persecuting me and I'm supposed to sit here, at my father's funeral, and watch her *beep*-sing at Samantha?'? Alright, they sound a lot better withing the context of the movie.All the actors do a remarkable job and terrifically fit together as a messed up family that includes a dead father (the skilled Rip Torn), a suicidal mother (a sublime Piper Laurie), a chronically angry daughter (welcome back Debra Winger) and her husband , a hormonal son (the hilarious Ray Romano), a sassy daughter and her no-nonsense fiancée (played brilliantly by Kelly Preston and Famke Janssen), a pot-smoking son (a superb Hank Azaria), his questioning daughter (a luminous Zooey Deschanel who marvelously carries the film), her twin perverted cousins and their three selectively mute younger cousins. To support the family there's a sensual nurse (a fiery Glenne Headly) and a guy from the neighborhood (a charismatic Jesse Bradford). Quite a magnificent ensemble! The entire comedy elements are very well displayed. At times it is wacky and at times subtle but it all goes well together and remains enjoyable and wildly charming from start to end. With movies like this, who needs laughing gas?

Mike Boyd Unlike Tom from Santa Monica (the other reviewer), I didn't read any newspaper reviews - I just sat through the first 45 minutes and couldn't take any more.The actor Ray Romano was irritating in the extreme and the storyline totally unbelievable and unfunny. For example, a girl puts on a video which is of her mother in a sex movie, the doorbell rings and she doesn't want to answer it because the visitor is an old boyfriend, so she hides without turning off the video. Guess what happens. Ridiculous.Example no. 2: a father is smoking a joint in his locked bedroom. His daughter knocks on the door and he tries to get rid of the smoke and upsets a flower pot on a bed. He then answers the door with the joint still in his mouth. So funny. Not. Truly an awful film.

merklekranz Like a dog chasing it's tail this movie goes nowhere. Too many characters it becomes confusing, and eventually crashes into total silliness. This is NOT black comedy, it is idiotic try and be as strange as possible boredom. Constantly starting new angles and then somehow trying to tie a story together out of these disjointed fragments does not make for entertainment. Some of the characters were so uninteresting and boorish that they could have been written out entirely and actually improve the film by shortening it. Avoid at all costs even if it is in the cheap bin. It is a waste of time, talent, and celluloid. - MERK