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      The Funeral

      1996, Crime/Drama, 1h 38m

      35 Reviews 2,500+ Ratings

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      Critics Consensus

      Abel Ferrara reunites with Christopher Walken to forge another haunting gangster saga, delivering a bruising exploration of vengeance. Read critic reviews

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      The Funeral  Photos

      The Funeral (1996) The Funeral (1996) The Funeral (1996) The Funeral (1996) The Funeral (1996)

      Movie Info

      At the funeral of murdered Johnny Tempio (Vincent Gallo), his brothers, Chez (Chris Penn) and Ray (Christopher Walken), begin plotting their revenge. Believing rival gangster Gaspare (Benicio del Toro) is responsible for Johnny's death, Chez and Ray set out to find and punish the thugs who killed him, despite the pleadings of their wives (Isabella Rossellini, Annabella Sciorra). As the two get to the bottom of the mystery, Ray must deal with an increasingly unstable Chez.

      • Rating: R

      • Genre: Crime, Drama

      • Original Language: English

      • Director: Abel Ferrara

      • Producer: Mary Kane

      • Writer: Nicholas St. John

      • Release Date (Theaters):  original

      • Release Date (DVD):

      • Box Office (Gross USA): $1.2M

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: October Films

      • Production Co: October Films, MDP Worldwide

      • Sound Mix: Surround

      Cast & Crew

      News & Interviews for The Funeral

      Critic Reviews for The Funeral

      Audience Reviews for The Funeral

      • Jan 31, 2014

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        Super Reviewer
      • Sep 25, 2011

        Ray: If I do something wrong, it's because God didn't give me the grace to do what's right. If this world stinks, it's his fault. I'm only working with what I've been given.  "One family, one murder, too many lies." What makes The Funeral a better than average gangster film is solid performances from underrated actors like Chris Penn and Vincent Gallo, and strong performances from its bigger names, Christopher Walken and Benicio Del Toro. The Funeral winds up being a really well made and acted film, even if it didn't become a great movie. The story isn't anything we haven't seen before, but the superb acting makes it feel like you are watching this storyline for the first time. What The Funeral does do well is make its case for more of a family drama then a true gangster film. Although it's still a gangster film, as it gets going it relies more and more on the family drama and less and less on he actual ins and outs of the business. It's actually a pretty slow moving drama for most of the runtime and then within the last 10 minutes, the plot goes crazy and leaves the viewer with a weird feeling. I can't say I was at all surprised by the ending, but watching happen that quickly was a surprise. The ending turns out to be cool because director Abel Ferrera didn't feel the need to add melodrama or draw it out, but it also feels rushed for this same reason. Either way I thoroughly enjoyed The Funeral despite its structural problems. There wasn't a bad performance from the cast and that ends up being enough to win me over on this one. 

        Super Reviewer
      • Nov 17, 2010

        The best thing about this movie was the ending.(I did NOT see that coming!) Also Chris Penn singing.Other then that, It was alright

        Super Reviewer
      • Dec 21, 2009

        They're gangsters who don't believe in God or religion, but they think you'll go to hell for nihilism. They're interesting when they talk about it. Walken and Penn are great, as are Sciora and Rosselini as they're wives and better angels. Gretchen Moll's presence is extraneous, She's a beautiful WASP fiance who's in none of the flashbacks when Gallo's character is alive. She's there to cry a couple of times, and look around in alienated wonder at the family's traditions, like like Kay Adams in The Godfather. Maybe she's there to balance out our impression of Gallo's sexual vices. We see his vices fight with his spiritual ideals, as he tries to find a new religion, in socialism. Gallo's performance is good but his role is underwritten and not in a way that gives him charm and mystery, if he's supposed to be the young conscience of this clan. The movie could have been a half hour longer to make the world and the way its people relate more believable and less like bubbles of narrative popping before our eyes. The ending doesn't ascend high enough before it explodes on the ground. Based on the limitedness of the period sets, which do look good for what they are, it could have been a money thing.

        Super Reviewer

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