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Reviews & Ratings for
 "Agatha Christie's Poirot" After the Funeral (2006)


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21 out of 22 people found the following review useful:
A fabulous Murder Mystery, 26 February 2006
Author: from Australia

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery from David Suchet- who plays Poirot fabulously. A mystery that I did not solve until the end- one thing confused me (the nuns). I recommend this to anyone who is an Agatha Christie fan or anybody who just like (murder) mysteries. A spectacular acting job from the entire cast- David Suchet always puts on a spectacular performance. The Movie also captures the time very well- with old cars, houses, costumes and other buildings all being incorporated into the film. For those who aren't aware; Agatha Cristie is a wonderful writer- and this movie really captures her unique writing style and ability to cook up a spectacular read.

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7 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
The best movie of the season!, 11 March 2008
10/10
Author: tml_pohlak_13 from Canada

Aunt Cora had always been tactless, and her well-bred family ignored the remark she made after her brother Richard's funeral: "He WAS murdered, wasn't he?". They remembered it the next day, when Cora was found brutally murdered with a hatchet...

For some reason, the POIROT movies this year have been far from faithful to the original book. I was disappointed about the changes made in CARDS ON THE TABLE-- my favourite Poirot book. AFTER THE FUNERAL is my 2nd favourite Poirot book, and I was scared the story would be destroyed. It wasn't! The movie was nearly page-for-page faithful throughout, right down to the killer's motive! All the actors were wonderful, but my favourite has got to be Monica Dolan, who gives a great performance as Miss Gilchrist, the companion to the late Aunt Cora. Without a doubt the best Poirot movie ever!

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7 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Poirot in top form, 27 February 2007
8/10
Author: blanche-2 from United States

David Suchet is Agatha Christie's mustached detective Hercule Poirot in "After the Funeral," produced in 2005. Anyone who has heard David Suchet speak with his own British accent knows what a shock it is, because his accent as Poirot is so perfect and organic to the character. Suchet is the Poirot of Agatha Christie's books, and although I confess a love for Peter Ustinov in the role, his portrayal doesn't have that much to do with what Christie wrote.

In this episode, Poirot is asked by a solicitor friend to investigate the possible murder of one of his clients. Enroute on the train, the solicitor recounts the events after the death - a strange will disinheriting the expected heir and the pronouncement of the man's sister that he was murdered. When Poirot meets the family, he discovers adultery, lots of secrets, another will and murder.

The story is excellent with rich production values and a wonderful, detailed depiction of the time period. All of the acting is superb, particularly from Monica Dolan, who plays Miss Gilchrist. Poirot here is without Hastings, his beautiful office, or Miss Lemon but he's effective nonetheless.

I had the privilege of seeing David Suchet on Broadway in "Amadeus." Breathtaking. What an actor - when he's playing Poirot, all I see IS Poirot.

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9 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Ah, the Willow Tree from All Sides, 5 May 2007
Author: tedg (tedg@FilmsFolded.com) from Virginia Beach

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The last episode I have seen of this series was the last made at this writing. And it is the best I have seen, fully cinematic, and a competent mystery after a decade of mostly wasted opportunities. With this episode, I have seen three of the four from season 12 and all are excellent.

This one is a contender for the best, based on a very subtle trick that is played on the viewer, a trick that is the cinematic equivalent of the sort of literary clue Agatha would have used. The solution to the murder has to do with a character playing a part, a redhead, incidentally. Two of our suspects are actors, and that allows us to have a scene in the middle of all the suspects, family members who benefited from the will.

The scene is wonderful. It is on a stage where a play has just finished with a murder. The characters lounge on the set. This is mirrored at the end with the constant Poirot device where all the suspects are collected, and the murderer (and other villains) revealed. In this case, the room is marvelously overblown but strictly reminiscent of the stage we saw earlier. Lest we miss the clue, that room contains a dollhouse. And yes, that dollhouse contains a clue.

One of the red herrings is a pair of nuns who pop up in suspicious places. Guess what we see in the background of the behind the scenes in that play? An actress playing a nun. She's so subliminal you probably wouldn't have noticed her. Its a great, great piece of mystery stagecraft. Notice that the woman suspect's hair (she's in the foreground) though normally brown is lit to be red. Another clue.

Overall, the way the camera is managed is very well considered. Half the time it is expository mode. Christie mysteries are very talkie. The other half of the time the camera is in Hitchcock-dePalma mode. Curiously examining as Poirot would.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

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7 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
Monica Dolan outshines David Suchet, 20 March 2007
10/10
Author: bowiescores from Australia

For those of you still in the dark, I will not spoil this Christie, as it is definitely one of her finest works, and I stress that you should see it whenever you next have free time! If any of the adaptations are to be watched before (or in lieu of) reading the book, I would suggest "After the Funeral" for the following reasons.

I wanted to praise the performance by Monica Dolan (Miss Gilchrist), whose employer-companion Cora is brutally murdered at the outset of the film. Her portrayal of a shocked, nervous, insignificant woman is actually moving, especially when she has a moment of personal connection with Poirot, another person who travels alone in "the journey of life." And when the murderer is being revealed in typical Poirot denouement fashion, Dolan's reactions to the revelation are acting at its finest: you feel as angry at the murderer as you do sympathetic to Miss Gilchrist... something uncommon in Christie lore.

Although there are a couple of discrepancies between novel and film adaptation, as per usual (the business of the will perhaps making less sense in the film), the unbelievably lavish recreation of post-war England, thoroughly high calibre of acting and directing, and preservation (if not heightening) of Christie's mystery and intrigue render these discrepancies insignificant.

Bravo Suchet, Dolan and the whole team for crafting this masterpiece of murder mystery theatre, and the producers who gave it the green light! Encore!

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3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
The villain outshines them all, 3 March 2010
10/10
Author: Oggz from london UK

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Some less than inspired opening string music notwithstanding, we somehow know that from the word go this is heading straight for the "big fun" drawer. By the time we observe Monica Dolan (in a truly genius bit of casting) delightfully goofing it up as Cora early on we're already hooked, but it is only later on when she reveals herself in her marvellous screen creation, that deranged, scheming, maleficent queen of murder and deceit posing in the guise of the uptight Miss Gilchrist, that she not only effortlessly steals the entire telemovie for herself but quite simply blows off screen anyone who comes near her, including the ever well measured David Suchet who himself seems to be somewhat bedazzled by her acting talents and, very gentlemanly, allows her to take centre stage. Dolan is the true engine of the film and her Miss Gilchrist a genuinely well rounded character in this Christie rendition, helped by a zesty script and the sprightly paced direction - and also by the rest of the cast led by Geraldine James and Robert Bathurst, who all display signs of sympathy for the given material and play with relish accordingly.

The production values are spot on as usual, and if there are any weaker links they might be located in the comparatively substandard music score to the majority of later Poirots, and also perhaps in the lacking of a genuine Italian-born actor for the role of Cora's husband. Other than that, this is an hour and a half of pure televisual delight which is as self indulgent and entertaining as it is lovingly put together.

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3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
"C'est magnifique!" (as Poirot says at one point), 3 May 2008
8/10
Author: gridoon2013

Although I have definitely read this particular Agatha Christie book at some point, I didn't remember anything about it except the name "Abernethie". Which is a good thing, because seeing this story unfold without knowing how it will play out allowed me to appreciate once more the sheer GENIUS of Agatha Christie: the way she misleads you and then pulls the rug out from under your feet is the main reason for her success and timelessness. In addition to her stories, the excellent production values, beautiful locations, wonderful music, top-notch acting, elegant directing, etc. are the reasons for this series' success and timelessness - and all those virtues are present in "After the Funeral". A word of advice: be alert right from the start - there are clues dropped all over the place even in the opening sequence! There are some quite unnerving moments as well, in contrast to the peaceful-looking English-countryside locations, and some small touches of humor. A must-see for mystery buffs, and just a very good film in general. (***)

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4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Pretty good mystery, Enjoyed the characters more, 13 December 2005
8/10
Author: jbarnes3 from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I saw this film on the A&E channel this past weekend. The mystery was okay, I was not able to guess the culprit before the end. But I enjoyed the characters and their development much more than the mystery. There was a mystery about some of them, especially George Abernathie, performed by the wonderful Michael Fassbender, and George's cousin, Susannah. In fact, the story of those two characters left me wanting to know more. From what I've tried to glee about the Agatha Christie book of the same title, I think this film did not follow it to the letter. Very good performances by the actors involved, especially Fassbender and the lady who played Cora/companion.

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3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Faithful to the book, and superb in every way- one of my all time favourite Poirot episodes, 25 October 2009
10/10
Author: TheLittleSongbird from United Kingdom

After The Funeral was absolutely superb, and by far the best episode of the season. I was disappointed with Cards On the Table, that started off so well but let down considerably by the last half hour, and I didn't know what to think of Taken At the Flood, though I do remember being confused at the end. After the Funeral as I've said is one of my all time favourite Poirot episodes, up there with Five Little Pigs, Sad Cypress and The ABC Murders. I was afraid that they would ruin the story, but instead it is very faithful to the book. Now I will say I don't mind changes to books, and try not to compare movies and TV adaptations to their sources, except when the book is a masterpiece and the adaptation doesn't do it justice. That's why I disliked some of the Marples like Nemesis and Sleeping Murder, and so far out of the Poirots The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Taken At the Flood and Cards on the Table are the only ones that really did disappoint. Everything else ranges from good to outstanding, even the recent Appointment with Death, despite the many deviations from the book, which I admit isn't a favourite, was surprisingly good, thanks to the marvellous production values, stellar ensemble performances and outstanding music score. Back to After the Funeral, the production values are fantastic. It has a really cinematic feel to it, and the stunning photography and splendid scenery and costumes made it a visual feast for the eyes. The music was very stirring and even haunting, and the entire cast give wonderful performances. David Suchet is impeccable as always as Poirot, and Geraldine James and Anna Calder Marshall are just as terrific. But for me, the standout was Monica Dolan as Mrs Gilchrist, she is up there with Donald Sumpter and Polly Walker as the best supporting actor/actress in a Poirot episode, that's how good her performance was. All in all, a must see, one of the best Poirot episodes by far, and one of the more faithful ones too. 10/10 Bethany Cox

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1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Extraordinary! British actors never cease to amaze me, 17 February 2011
8/10
Author: phuckthejedi from Hungary

now I'm a huge Poirot fan, but even I admit that the newer seasons left a lot to be desired, and were at points irritatingly unfaithful to the books. But not this one.

Besides that it's a really faithful adaptation, what makes this episode stand out, is the acting. The cast as a whole does a really good job, especially Michael Fassbender and Lucy Punch, but Monica Dolan (Ms. Gilchrist) is all kinds of wonderful, a revelation, so to speak. What an actress! Without spoiling the ending,let's just say that her last scene is award-worthy material.

Seriously, where do all these excellent British actors come from?

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