The Pallbearer

Directed by Matt Reeves, The Pallbearer follows David Schwimmer’s Tom Thompson as his tedious life is thrown into upheaval once he’s asked to give the eulogy for a dead classmate he doesn’t remember – with complications ensuing after Tom’s high-school crush (Gwyneth Paltrow’s Julie) arrives on the scene just as he begins sleeping with said dead classmate’s mother (Barbara Hershey’s Ruth). First-time filmmaker Reeves, working from a script written with Jason Katims, delivers a subdued, deliberately-paced endeavor that generally fares better than one might’ve anticipated, and there’s little doubt that the picture benefits substantially from its raft of agreeable elements – including Robert Elswit’s perpetually striking cinematography and its assortment of solid, endearing performances. (Schwimmer’s compelling turn as the affable protagonist is certainly matched by a roster of eclectic periphery players like Michael Rapaport, Toni Collette, and Carol Kane.). It’s clear, too, that The Pallbearer, which admittedly takes a while to wholeheartedly get going, improves substantially as it progresses into an unexpectedly involving second half, with the engaging, entertaining atmosphere heightened by an ongoing emphasis on inherently compelling scenes and sequences (eg Ruth confronts Tom and Julie in a fancy restaurant). And although the movie does peter out slightly in its padded-out final stretch, The Pallbearer nevertheless (and for the most part) comes off as a perfectly watchable piece of work that holds one’s interest for the duration of its brisk running time.

*** out of ****