David AllsoppJust Buried (2007)
December 15th 2008 05:52
Directed by:- Chaz Thorne.
Starring:- Rose Byrne, Jay Baruchel, Graham Greene, Nigel Bennett.
Just Buried is a tale which deals with some fundamental human principles - namely death, money, and sex. And it does it fairly well too, mainly due to the performances.
The film is shot in Novia Scotia, Canada, creating the small town vibe where everybody seems to know everybody, and where normally 'bad things don't happen' - as the towns police chief tells us after an initial murder.
The movie introduces a socially inept young chap with chronic nosebleeds named Oliver Zinck, who inherits his fathers bankrupt funeral, which is literally gambled away to the lucky family member posthumously through a video. The scene is then set for a slide into sex, corruption, and a creative series of deaths, which also involves the police chief's daughter Roberta Knickel, played by Rose Byrne.
I wasn't sure what to make of the film early on, as the music appears as if it were attempting to force a particular mood rather than accompany the events that ensued (I'm a big one for music in films). However the film didn't try and take it self too seriously, becoming dark and a little over the top, which worked well with some creative and awkward death scenes. There are some funny moments as both Oliver and Roberta the mortician team up to generate business the 'unnatural' way, setting off a series of increasingly dark and debaucherous occurrences.
For me, what made the film (apart from the setting) were the performances. Graham Greene and Nigel Bennett put on a decent show, but the real standouts were the leads. The radical transformation of Jay Baruchel's character throughout the film is believable, and Rose Byrne performs a convincing and uncharacteristic role for her, with lines like "who's a dirty girl".
The film lacks slightly in originality, with its humour in the vein of films such as death at funeral. However the apparent unwillingness of the film to take itself seriously, as well as the fine performances, make this one worth a look.
Three bananas out of five.
Starring:- Rose Byrne, Jay Baruchel, Graham Greene, Nigel Bennett.
Just Buried is a tale which deals with some fundamental human principles - namely death, money, and sex. And it does it fairly well too, mainly due to the performances.
The film is shot in Novia Scotia, Canada, creating the small town vibe where everybody seems to know everybody, and where normally 'bad things don't happen' - as the towns police chief tells us after an initial murder.
I wasn't sure what to make of the film early on, as the music appears as if it were attempting to force a particular mood rather than accompany the events that ensued (I'm a big one for music in films). However the film didn't try and take it self too seriously, becoming dark and a little over the top, which worked well with some creative and awkward death scenes. There are some funny moments as both Oliver and Roberta the mortician team up to generate business the 'unnatural' way, setting off a series of increasingly dark and debaucherous occurrences.
For me, what made the film (apart from the setting) were the performances. Graham Greene and Nigel Bennett put on a decent show, but the real standouts were the leads. The radical transformation of Jay Baruchel's character throughout the film is believable, and Rose Byrne performs a convincing and uncharacteristic role for her, with lines like "who's a dirty girl".
The film lacks slightly in originality, with its humour in the vein of films such as death at funeral. However the apparent unwillingness of the film to take itself seriously, as well as the fine performances, make this one worth a look.
Three bananas out of five.
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