Eulogy (2004)

A black comedy that follows three generations of a family, who come together for the funeral of the patriarch - unveiling a litany of family secrets and covert relationships.

Director:

Michael Clancy

Writer:

Michael Clancy

Stars:

Hank Azaria, Jesse Bradford, Ray Romano

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hank Azaria	...	Daniel Collins
Jesse Bradford	...	Ryan Carmichael
Zooey Deschanel	...	Kate Collins
Glenne Headly	...	Samantha
Famke Janssen	...	Judy Arnolds
Piper Laurie	...	Charlotte Collins
Kelly Preston	...	Lucy Collins
Ray Romano	...	Skip Collins
Rip Torn	...	Edmund Collins
Debra Winger	...	Alice Collins
Micole Mercurio	...	Delilah the Neighbor
Lucy Boyle	...	Girl in Dorm Room
Tania Gunadi	...	Girl in Dorm Room
Kevin Ruf	...	Commercial Dad
Alex Moore	...	Young Daniel

Storyline

When three generations of a dysfunctional family gather in Rhode Island to bury the family patriarch, members of the Collins clan are at each other's throats in no time. Son Daniel is a secret porn actor, and daughter Lucy is a lesbian. Lucy totes along her lover Judy to the outrage of Lucy's aggressively neurotic sister Alice, whose hysterical overreaction to the pair's marriage plans ought to tell everyone something. Rounding out the delightful crowd are dim brother Skip, whose unfailingly rude twin sons offer caustic commentary on their elders' infantile predilections; matriarchal widow Charlotte, who becomes so justifiably distraught at the insanity of her children she tries to commit suicide; and Kate, a confused but comely college freshman who juggles preparation of the eulogy with internal debate over what to do with her childhood friend-turned-suitor, Ryan.

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Plot Keywords:

funeral | twin | eulogy | dysfunctional family | exploding boat | 

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Taglines:

Last rites. Last words. Last laughs.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, sexual content and drug use

Details

Country:

USA UK Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 February 2005 (Australia)

Also Known As:

3 familier og 1 begravelse

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$41,788 (USA) (15 October 2004)

Gross:

$70,527 (USA) (22 October 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eulogy Productions LLC, Ovation Entertainment LLC, S.R.O. Entertainment AG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min 85 min (Ontario)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Skip's sons pester Judy, the book she is reading is "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole.

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Goofs

In the breakfast scene after Alice and Samantha's relationship has become known: As Judy asks Kate "Where is she?", Lucy puts the knife down from her right hand. Then in the next shot, she puts the knife down again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Kate Collins: [practicing out loud] Hey, you don't know me... I don't know you...
Kate Collins: [narration] Twice in my life I've had to deliver bad news to someone I'd never met. The first time involved a cat that ran out in the middle of my driver's test. This time was a bit trickier.

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Crazy Credits

During the end credits, we see Lucy and Judy's wedding party. Alice makes a toast and then hands the microphone to Skip, who tries to tell a "lesbian joke" before being attacked by Lucy and Judy, who clobber him with the mike.

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Connections

References Stealing Harvard (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Blues for Stu"
Written and Performed by Robb Navrides

User Reviews

off beat, very, very funny and oddly affecting

I went into this film with high expectations considering the amazing cast and wasn't disappointed. It was consistently entertaining -- and often explosively funny.

Sometimes it felt like a throwback screwball comedy other times the comedy was more subtle and nuanced but it was always fun. Looked like it was gonna get a touch overly sentimental at the end but managed to bleach the saccharin out of the most "emotional" moments. A welcomed little performance piece film full of nice little moments.