The Funeral

At the wake of their murdered younger brother, two gangster siblings revisit their past while making plans for revenge against a rival gangster who killed him. Christopher Walken delivers a powerhouse performance as the eldest brother, Ray, whose emotions have been shut down after their own father's suicide some years before and who must come to terms with his failures as a man. Chris Penn costars as Chez, his abusive, emotionally unstable brother who has inherited their father's self-destructive behavior. Set in 1930s New York, this elegiac film delves into such topics as faith, masculinity, and redemption as it moves slowly toward its bloody, powerful climax. Annabella Sciorra plays Ray's wife, whose devout Catholicism serves as the moral center of the film. Isabella Rossellini, Vincent Gallo, Benicio Del Toro, and Gretchen Mol round out the stellar cast. While it contains his usual violence and raunchy sex scenes, THE FUNERAL marks a mature new direction in the career of New York auteur Abel Ferrara (who previously worked with Walken on KING OF NEW YORK). Nicely subdued colors and cinematography by Ken Kelsch combine with great acting and probing dialogue to make this a valuable addition to the gangster genre. (Verleiher-Text)