The Pallbearer | | Cast : | David Schwimmer, Gwyneth Paltrow | | Director : | Matt Reeves | | Studio : | Miramax Home Entertainment | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Widescreen | | Released Date : | May 03, 1996 | | DVD Released Date : | September 02, 2003 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), English (Original Language), English (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | February 08, 2005 | | Summary | God awful | Content
 | 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. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 07, 2005 | | Summary | Great drama with a hint of comedy | Content
| 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. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 24, 2004 | | Summary | Not funny | Content
| The box advertises a hilarious movie. It was not bad, just not funny. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 10, 2004 | | Summary | Pleasant enough little film. | Content
| Despite the utter comtempt and loathing I have for Friends (For being the most obvious, stupid, unfunny comedy very much
like the equally appalling Will & Grace), I nevertheless quite enjoyed David Swimmer's performance in this film. It was quite an enjoyable, lighthearted if slightly predictable romantic comedy. Paltrow was even reasonably good in it. So whilst not exactly a masterpiece, nonetheless an interesting little Black comedy for those moments whwn you have nothing else better to do. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 12, 2004 | | Summary | One major flaw with this film. | Content
| David Schwimmer. I'll admit it. He grates on my nerves like it's no one's business. I find him annoying, cloying, and repulsive in every role I've seen him in. He's the major reason I avoid Friends like the plague (although there are plenty of other reasons for that). But this movie also has the anti-Schwimmer: Gwyneth Paltrow. I can't explain exactly why, but I find her enchanting and intriguing. (Maybe it's because she is a terrific actress, or because she seems so sweet and nice even off the screen.) So, there you have have it. A movie with two polar extremes ... the hideous and the sublime, the awful and beautiful, the appalling and the ... you get the point. Some people might quickly dismiss this movie as a Graduate wannabe. There's some truth to that. The Pallbearer is quite derivative of the Graduate; it's a play on the young man, older woman, younger woman triangle, and it certainly doesn't have the Graduate's silkiness--or it's wise intelligence. There's nothing in the Pallbearer that matches the uneasy end where Dustin Hoffman and Katherine Ross nervously sit at the back of the bus with this quietly panicky, "What now?" look on their faces. But it does have some well-orchestrated moments, including a brunch from hell, and some genuine, quirky characters. I'd give it a chance; it's worth watching. And if you can stomach David Schwimmer, you might really like it. |
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