MovieChat Forums > The Funeral (1996) Discussion > One of the best mob films of all time.

One of the best mob films of all time.

posted 18 years ago by Bevo74
19 replies | jump to latest

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

We have all seen the classics: The Godfather, Scarface, GoodFellas, Casino, etc. But this film, The Funeral, is probably the most dramatically intense, intelligent mobster/gangster film I have seen. With a grimy/"goodbye cruel world" ending-like John Cassavetes atmosphere to it(which is evident in any Abel Ferrara film), The Funeral literally goes out with a bang! Like Scarface when Pacino kills a LOT of Columbian gang killers, like The Godfather when all of the rival families are whacked, and like GoodFellas when it ends with a shot of Pesci shooting as a symbolic mark in Liotta's head, The Funeral really leaves an extremely impactful mark on the audience when the brother gangster, out of hopelessness and depression, kills the entire crime family he belongs to and then kills himself! The mobster saying of "It isn't personal. It's just business" obviously didn't reach Chris Penn's(the brother gangster) character's mind. Not only Funeral's bang ending, but the philosophical aspects revolving around Chrstopher Walken's character really brings to light the difficulty of staying true to your mafia blood and justifying your daily living as a person at the same time. In other words, the family finds internal conflict in avenging their relative's death, while taking the risk of the revenge messing up their business.

In final words, The Funeral is the most underrated mobster film of all time, in my own opinion. This film should be more recognized, tresured, and appreciated in the mob genre. It is a combination of Coppola/Puzo mafia, intense, extreme John Cassavetes drama, and Paul Schrader internal conflict-like character studies. I personally recommend it to everyone who is a fan of the mobster genre and the drama genre, and anyone who deeply appreciates the talent of cinema. (And anyone else who is just a film buff).

[–] matandocabos777 18 years ago

Thank you, I could not agree more its brilliant, This deserves more attention and a better dvd!!!!!!!. underrated masterpiece.

[–] tatomberlin 18 years ago

Moody underdevloped crap. Abel hits and misses. He misses here. If you like your movies to move, this isn't for you. If you love Ferrara, you'll probably forgive a lot here and like it anyway. No masterpiece.

[–] tjantus 18 years ago

You have a point, the pace is slow--or "stately", perhaps. It doesn't move much--most of the action takes place over a single night aside from flashbacks. And it is moody, even depressing.
But I think the cinematography and individual character development, the relationships between the brothers, and between the husbands and wives, as they are revealed--yes, slowly--makes it a worthwhile contibution to the art. I would urge you to give it another try.
This is really a movie about men's machisimo self-images, and how their inability to understand and live up to them degrades and ultimately destroys them, rather than being just a typical crime drama.

[–] bigdreamer247 18 years ago

To call this movie brilliant or one of the best mob movies is a gross overstatement, bordering on illiteracy.

I'm glad some of you liked it but don't be so misleading!

[–] tspillsone 18 years ago

this movie was too slow and didn't really go anywhere, I wasn't too impressed, but then again I had my expectations up too high cause some of you people on this board are really easy to please, put a mob movie together and you think it's the next godfather no matter how bad it is, i would give this a 3/10, just cause it had potential, Chris Walken, Penn, and Benicio Del Toro were good in this, but overall i kept hitting the display button to find out how much more of this I have to sit through.

www.soundclick.com/lowerlevel

[–] Mikiville 18 years ago

This IS a masterpiece: probably many people just can't understand it, expecting the usual gangster movie. This is the best (and most original) Mafia movie, together with Donnie Brasco, after incomparable and unattainable The Godfther (I and II) and GoodFellas.

[–] dx_pac99 18 years ago

The only person who makes this movie worth watching is Christopher Walken no matter the movie he can save it with his performance.

[–] greenmonkeysjake 17 years ago

The only person who makes this movie worth watching is Christopher Walken no matter the movie he can save it with his performance.

He wasn't able to save Gigli.

[–] freudified_n_funkified 17 years ago

I think THE FUNERAL essentially does in under 100 minutes what the first two GODFATHER films did in six hours. That's not to slight them in any way, but Ferrara and St. John were able to crib those themes and find a succinct and powerful way to present that same familial and moral deterioration inherent to the mob movie. The understated nature of the film and the fact that the audience is left on it's own to interpret what's going on rather than have it hammered in and explained at length really helps the overall experience.

[–] fromwalking 16 years ago

You are all wrong. This movie was NOT worth watching. It was a waste of time even though my time is worth nothing. Any time is worth nothing in that sence. I'm sorry, but I really got into a bad mood over this film. Yak. I'll be going to bed now, hope I feel better in the morning.

There are no facts, only interpretations.
Friedrich Nietzsche

[–] coffeemann 12 years ago

did you just compare this crap to THE GOD FATHER? LOL
are you ok??? I suggest you watch this movie again, then watch all the god fathers again, then come back here on post your real thoughts.

[–] Observer-2 14 years ago

MILD spoiler

The only person who makes this movie worth watching is Christopher Walken no matter the movie he can save it with his performance.

Thank you! I agree 100%. The debt this film owes to The Godfather series is nothing short of incredible:

Godfather Funeral
3 brothers 3 brothers
1 brother bad temper 1 brother bad temper
1 brother WASP girlfriend/wife 1 brother WASP appearance girlfriend.
1 brother orders hit on another 1 brother goes on a rampage

And those are just off the top of my head.

I don't rate this as one of the best in the genre, though with a better soundtrack and editing it might have gotten some more polish. Worth watching if you're a fan of the genre, but overall, imho, close, but no cigar.

[–] aces_boss_yo 13 years ago

I'm wondering what demographic was so sold on this film. I love the cast and Abel, but IMO, this film sucked.

I might as well enjoy my life and watch the stars play...........

[–] aces_boss_yo 13 years ago

Totally agree w/tatomberlin!! I have a lot of respect for those on any side of this camera, but this was too much. Too many wasted lines, scenes...scenes bouncing back and forth til it made no since whatsoever. But it seemed to me they might have possibly all been partying really hard through this film. It gets a solid 3 by me for the film itself. The cast and Abel added....raises it to a five. Story was underdeveloped, like you said.

I might as well enjoy my life and watch the stars play...........

[–] FattyBoombilatti 18 years ago

I just got a copy of this in the mail, I watched it today. It was a good movie despite not having a big budget. Everyone in it gave superb performances. I especially liked Vinnie Gallo, Chris Penn and Benicio Del Toro. Yea, the movie was slow, but it was a drama,and very different from most mob movies. I liked it alot. I give it a 8/10.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] gossedepulpe 13 years ago

Agreed. One of the best MOVIES ever made, not just mob movies.

There, there, David. There's one for the each of us.

[–] coffeemann 12 years ago

gossedepulpe !!!
one of the best movies ever made?????????????
you friggen kidding me!!!!!!!!!??????????????????????? LOL LOL

[–] davekingman 13 years ago

It moved too slow but I liked the movie because it was well written, well acted & C Walken & C Penn were in it, and I like the gangster genre. But I wouldnt call this a classic. "Miller's Crossing" is better than this & is also underrated. It's also very smart but has some humor in it and is well paced and more gripping.