"Passed Away" made me wish I had. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but considering the talent assembled in front of the camera, I certainly was not wrong in expecting a little more of a movie and less of a concept.
Movie takes place over 2/3 days following the death of Jack Warden, the father of a large family. Children are Pamela Reed, who is in an unhappy marraige with Tim Curry; Frances McDormand, who is now a revolutionary/nun and harboring an illegal alien; William Petersen, who lived in the same town as Dad and wants to take things over following his passing; and Bob Hoskins, who also lived nearby and who is married to Blair Brown. Mom is Maureen Stapleton but she wisely stayed out of most of the movie.
Various silly or ridiculous things happen over these couple of days. Reed re-visits an old boyfriend (Peter Riegert), Hoskins tries to figure out why Nancy Travis is at his father's wake, Petersen deals with local politicians (Dylan Baker is seen threatening him) and an unmarried but pregnant daughter (Teri Polo), and McDormand goes to great lenghts to keep Immigration from her hombre.
There's no flow to any of the scenes. Each has a tiny little punchline that isn't much of one but keeps the mood light, but that's part of the problem - this is a black comedy that does not want to be one. The slapstick doesn't work much either.
None of the actors distinguish themselves at all. You would swear that Blair Brown and Bob Hoskins never even met before doing so on the set. Hoskins is possibly miscast but he's so likable that its hard to critcize him for not carrying the movie a little better. At least he didn't bother to do an American accent, but then again, why not?
The movie is forgotten three seconds after it is over. 3/10.
Movie takes place over 2/3 days following the death of Jack Warden, the father of a large family. Children are Pamela Reed, who is in an unhappy marraige with Tim Curry; Frances McDormand, who is now a revolutionary/nun and harboring an illegal alien; William Petersen, who lived in the same town as Dad and wants to take things over following his passing; and Bob Hoskins, who also lived nearby and who is married to Blair Brown. Mom is Maureen Stapleton but she wisely stayed out of most of the movie.
Various silly or ridiculous things happen over these couple of days. Reed re-visits an old boyfriend (Peter Riegert), Hoskins tries to figure out why Nancy Travis is at his father's wake, Petersen deals with local politicians (Dylan Baker is seen threatening him) and an unmarried but pregnant daughter (Teri Polo), and McDormand goes to great lenghts to keep Immigration from her hombre.
There's no flow to any of the scenes. Each has a tiny little punchline that isn't much of one but keeps the mood light, but that's part of the problem - this is a black comedy that does not want to be one. The slapstick doesn't work much either.
None of the actors distinguish themselves at all. You would swear that Blair Brown and Bob Hoskins never even met before doing so on the set. Hoskins is possibly miscast but he's so likable that its hard to critcize him for not carrying the movie a little better. At least he didn't bother to do an American accent, but then again, why not?
The movie is forgotten three seconds after it is over. 3/10.