Ultimately disappointing
30 July 2002
Maybe you need low expectations to enjoy anything about this movie--I actually had very few at all except that I remember it being called a "dark comedy"at the time of its release. Well, dark comedies can be very well done and extremely funny, Doctor Strangelove and Harold and Maude come to mind. Unfortunately "The Pallbearer" doesn't deliver--there are some moments which are undeniably funny, though the eulogy mentioned in the tag line wasn't one of them. The plot is a little thin to hang a movie on, in fact it might have been better done as an episode of "Friends," about twenty minutes could have handled the whole thing.

There's an immense amount of filler here--long, excruciating shots of David Schwimmer and his goofy expression as he tries to pretend he knows the poor loser from high school, recently deceased, that he can't remember, but is asked to act as pallbearer for.

Everyone in this movie seems to be in one form of pain or another--Paltrow keeps repeating how she "has to leave," but really doesn't explain why, in fact part of the plot seems to be her inability to explain why. Those who like romantic comedies should stay away, for those who like just plain dark comedies might want to look elsewhere as well; question is whether a couple of funny moments in an otherwise dull bleak movie is worth the time.
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