Customer Reviews

The Pallbearer

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have to say to those who didn't see this film - it's not a comedy at all, it's about being lonely and being sad, and about how when you live in a lonely sadness all your life, what happens when you have to change it in a moment? I thought it was lovely, the acting was perfect for the rolls, and the soundtrack added a lot to the movie.

For all those people who said "This wasn't funny at all": the movie is NOT a comedy! It is rather tragic story, somewhat resembling "The Graduate". And yes, it's true that characters are pathetic, disgusting, and sad. But that is often how people really are in life, and it's a good point the movie made. The ending, however, was a little awkward. I thought there was going to be more to the movie.

The box advertises a hilarious movie. It was not bad, just not funny.

This movie just couldn't decide what it wanted to be, whether a comedy, drama, or romance. At just little over an hour & a half, it felt overly long, and dragged. When plied with alcohol, I can easily fall asleep during a particularly dull movie, but I was tired as it was after having not slept well the previous night, and kept having to eat something to keep me awake during this. I never noticed it as much during Friends, but David Schwimmer has one expression and that's the irritating hangdog expression. The whole film felt like the way you feel when you're in a rush, and people are (deliberately) getting in your way, or just coming to a dead stop, and leave you walking off, muttering to yourself. The Pallbearer tries to put a different spin on a romantic comedy and fails miserably.

This film's one saving grace is the actress playing Schwimmer's mum, who's never given the decency of a name, just credited by "Tom's mother". She was in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen as Miss Baggoli, although she looked like the mum from Carrie 2 as well. She wasn't on screen apart from a couple of scenes, and she was hilarious, especially in one of her early scenes, when she opens the door to her son's room and finds one of those security chains blocking her way. The look on her face is fantastic, including her line: "What's this friggin' chain for?"

Apart from her, this film belongs on really late night TV, where no-one will ever see it.

The first time I watched this movie I was expecting an all out comedy. This is mainly due to the film's misleading ad campaign. However, despite my expectations, I found this film to be quite moving. The emotional arc the story takes is completely inverted from that of your average film. This means that the movie reaches it's peak when the viewer is at their lowest, saddest state. The story then arcs back upwards to reach a more or less rewarding resolution. If you've ever been depressed or lonely enough to find yourself relating to David Schwimmer's character here then empathy alone will pull you into the story.

If I had to pick a flaw to this film it would be that the ending is a little too hopefull. Filmmakers tend to want to wrap things up with a bow and a smile without realizing that we as viewers will accept a sad ending if it's done well. Through the course of the movie a somber tone is crafted with such skill that I desired an ending that would do justice to that mood. What comes is more of a reversal of tone that does a little bit of a disservice to all that came before. Really I'm just being critical though, in the end this is still a wonderfull movie that hasn't gotten a fair rap thanks to a blunderfull ad campaign designed to make people think this would be "Friends: The Movie" which it really isn't. Buy this DVD, you won't regret it.

The characters reveal the exact nature which was intended by the writers, and the actors do it admirably. Tom's friends are meant to show superficiality and the actors excell in conveying that. Barbara Hershey plays a grief stricken woman attempting to deal with the sudden demise of her son. Her human fraility allows her to fall victim to her needs for human comfort and support during this very difficult time as she becomes intimately involved with David Schwimmer's Tom. Tom is the only one who feels compassion for this woman, and, in spite of his desire to separate himself from her, he defends her to his friends. This combination of humor and tragedy is discomforting for the viewer at times, and keeps one sitting on the edge of one's seat awaiting the next twist and unexpected turn of events. The confrontations and revelations of deceite are disconcerting enough to have the viewer squirming in his/her seat. In the end both the heartbroken mother and Tom come to terms with what has happened between them and make no apologizes except to acknowledge that they both needed each other, and, then they move on with their lives. It would be interesting to see where life leads them.

The reason I love this movie is pretty simple. The movie overall is a date movie and is good, but most people won't like it if they expect to laugh through the whole thing. Sure there are funny spots, but the movie isn't great for those. It's great for the heartwrenching scenes with David Schwimmer and Gwenyth Paltrow. Including one particular sad one when they play Sheryl Crow's "I Shall Believe." David Schwimmer and Gwenyth Paltrow dance to this. When you see the movie you'll see why this scene is more heartwrenching than it is happy. So, if you are looking for a good movie that can pull on your heartstrings as well as make you laugh occasionally with Schwimmers hyjinx, then this is a good one for you.

The first 10 minutes of this movie were rather amusing and after that it settled down to a real napper. Endless long face shots of Schimmer in particular looking concerned,pathetic,etc.,etc.made the film a test of one's staying power. Occasional humor and the interest generated by Paltrow and Hersey helped,but the movie was unsavable.A 25 year old with his weird mother and bunk beds,Paltrow's pathetic outfits and Hersey,s atrocious hair and truly strange behavior are just a few of the blots on this would-be landscape. Michael Rappaport and that Bitsy character trying to go over the top was also borderline offensive.As I review the film in my mind, Two stars might have been too high! Skip this one and enjoy an extra episode of Friends.

I thought this movie was very well put together. Unlike the other reviewers I was told about this movie first, and was not expecting a funny movie, but a sad one;which is why I enjoyed it. I think that this movie didn't do very well (even though it should have) because in the commercials it was portrayed as a humorous film, which it was the exact opposite. So people who saw this movie excpected a funny movie, but didn't get one. But I think that this movie was very good, and I loved the actors that were picked.

The Pallbearer is an interesting story of a man (David Schwimmer) who is called out of the blue by the mother (Barbara Hershey) of a 'friend' from high school. There's one little problem. He didn't know the guy! Instead of telling the mother the truth, he lied and performed his duties with his best friends in the 'audience' laughing their butts off at him.

His little lie led to two relationships. One was with the dead guy's mom, who somehow is able to lure him into a kind of sickening sexual relationship that he can seem to manipulate his way out of. The other is with his high school crush (Gwenyth Paltrow) who was less than amused that he chose to lie to the dead guy's mom.

His lies end up getting twisted and he has to work out the problems they've caused.

This movie also stars: Michael Vartan and Michael Rappaport.