[psycho d]

The Funeral (1996). How this one swung so low on the radar is a mystery. I guess it's just a testament of the sheep mentality that is so becoming of the general public. If it's got mobsters then it must be teeming with nonstop action and violence between occasional bouts of character development. Yep, The Funeral has a couple of rugged scenes, but the focus is on the main characters and the disruption of life that they and their close ones are forced to live with. These guys have become such slaves to their lifestyles that even their brotherly bonds might not be enough to keep them from at least attempting to pull away from the gravity of the underworld; and it is the spouses that pay their dues. As per most of Ferrara's flicks, God also pokes his nose into the fray, giving purchase to the question as to whether or not man's actions are the consequence of God or human volition. This Walken line says it all: "[I am] ashamed of nothing. I didn't make the world."

The cast was remarkable. With Christopher Walken as the lead, it is easy to imagine that he would steal the show. Strong as his performance was, Chris Penn's performance was just as memorable. Vincent Gallo also grabs our attention, though it was really his presence that draws us in. Incredibly, it is the background characters that really make this film- the mobster's wives. Though screen time is secondary, their precious moments capture and transmit the essence of the dismal reality that choice, and fate, has bequeathed upon them as well as their husbands. My favorite of the film, though, was the underused Benicio Del Toro. His character reeked of a slimy iniquity that I just could not get enough of.

That the plot was weak was of no significance. The Funeral's import was founded upon the character's lifestyle choices and the insufferable relationships that ensue. In the end, maybe it was God's hand that steered the course of fate. Of course, Darwin might just pop out of his grave to argue in favor of genetics. Either way, this dichotomy might demonstrate this film's ultimate puissance.
d