Everyone dies, so why not make a profit? Ron Murphy’s darkly comic feature film, Back in black, explores the economy of the dead. THE Trailer Park Boys And Wynonna Earp The director turns a happy sitcom town on its head as citizens start dropping like flies, but not with a terrible look. Back in black It’s less about the horrors of death and more about the funeral home raking in the dough. It’s schmaltzy, satirically saccharine and intentionally cheesy, trying to find sunny humor in random acts of violence – which is done moderately well.
Christopher Walken plays Clyde Mortimer, the former North Everett funeral home director who is facing bankruptcy. People aren’t dying like they used to, which means fewer angry customers and bank employees. Clyde’s granddaughter, Samantha or Sam (Ella Ballentine), hatches a plan to bring spending back into the family business. With a few loose screws, stolen warning signs and frayed wires, the townsfolk start croaking at freak accidents. Sheriff Wiley (Tony Nappo) suspects no wrongdoing, but Deputy Donna (Louise Lambert) begins to connect the incidents. As long as Sam doesn’t let himself be neglected, everyone wins… except the corpses.
The concept leans heavily on Sam, meek as a mouse, and also inexplicably non-verbal, getting away with literal murder. North Everett is the prototype of a sleepy, hospitable community where everyone knows your name and no one suspects evildoers, not to mention that Sam is evil. But when you’re willing to sacrifice your neighbors to make grandpa prosper again, the morality is different. This is why Murphy has so little room to maneuver with the film’s light but deceptive tone – the Andy Griffith Show on the surface, light weather Right hand below.
Murphy and his co-writer Nick Torokvei are smart enough to know when to exaggerate charming suburban lifestyles and when to rely on absurdity. As Sam raises the stakes on each death trap, the dangers become more and more ridiculous. We’re talking escaped circus animals, entire buildings exploding, multiple electrocutions in swimming pools, and many other surprises. The juxtaposition of cut-out body parts and head-scratching officers helps us stomach the extreme hokiness of it all. The film knows that Sam shouldn’t get away with his plan and doesn’t care, leaning into the “oh shit” nature of it all.
Even more successful, Back in black pokes fun at the financial struggles facing rural funeral homes. Walken’s foul-mouthed Cyrus demonstrates a salesman’s confidence when he charges for the best handmade coffins and meal plans, then unleashes scathing tirades to Sam about cheap, stingy Everettonians who opt for trays of Costco sandwiches and discounted wooden boxes. Tying dead civilians to the Mortimers’ family wealth introduces a capitalist disgust into the whole thing, while portraying Cyrus, Sam, and Cyrus’ picture-perfect wife, Autumn (Jane Curtin), as humble mom-and-pop traders. Stylistically, everything is contradictory in the film, which is why we can laugh at the idiosyncrasies and detect growing tension.
However, as a simple comedy, Back in black I can’t beat her cute little eyes throughout every scene. Ballentine’s seductive, hypnotic gaze and petite presence fit Sam’s silent killer type, but the choice not to speak gets old. German visitor Kevin (Giamo Alfredi) is the contrast to Sam, whose awkward chatter dynamic also becomes tedious. There’s a solid 60/40 ratio of jokes that land to duds that fall flat, as Murphy struggles with the comedic stylings of his not-so-thrilling thriller. It’s one of those experiences where you take the good with the bad, because the overall presentation isn’t offensive. Still, it’s clearly evident which segments elude Murphy in terms of balancing chewed body parts and meek old men with sensitive stomachs.
That said, Back in blackThe whole thing is strong enough to sell the test. Beyond Ballentine and Walken, Curtain is an absolute doll as the salon’s matriarchal cosmetologist. Watson Rose slides into the frame as Autumn’s understudy and endears herself to the Mortimer household with healthy results. A dizziness runs through everything as Clyde’s mood improves with each ceremony, contrasting with the traumas endured by each family. But it’s never a sad film, especially as Sam explores his many romantic options. Then the third act kicks in and all the gears fall into place, whether expected or out of left field.
Back in black is an unsuspecting story about death and survival, but not in the way you might expect. Of course Sam could stage Final destination set pieces – but the focus is never on who dies, or how gruesome it is. Murphy is more interested in who benefits from someone’s death and the choices loved ones are forced to make. Laughter and stupidity resurface in these deeply sad moments. There are funnier, darker, grittier, nastier versions of the same themes, but that’s what makes Back in black such a curious little nugget – the smile that she forces everywhere.
Music from the film: 3/5
