If you’re looking for an all-around good movie with a dark twist, you’ve just found it! Undertaking Betty is a hilarious black comedy about a lonely undertaker Boris who tries to seduce his childhood crush, Betty. Featuring an all-star cast, witty script, and just enough dark humor not to cross the line, this is definitely a movie worth watching. I mean, what’s the last movie about undertakers you’ve seen? Sure, Six Feet Under was a great television show but it was much darker than the movie we’re talking about today.
To say that Undertaking Betty is just a movie about undertakers or romance would be a mistake. The whole story is happening in a small Welsh village full of colorful characters. And exactly these characters will bring to life that famous or infamous small-town mentality. Just like in Waking Ned Devine or The Grand Seduction. However, the movie we’re talking about today is quite different from them. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and it’s willing to take risks. Add to this brisk pacing and a short running time of just ninety minutes and you’ve got yourself a comedy you can watch any time.
The chemistry between Alfred Molina and Brenda Blethyn was palpable and delightfully charming. It was so charming in fact that it warmed this cynical heart of mine. To make things even crazier we have the arrival of a crazy American in this sleepy little village. And he’s played by none other than Christopher Walken. It was also fun to watch Naomi Watts play a little vixen having an affair with the mayor. Hell, the entire cast of this movie did a terrific job. While Undertaking Betty is the official title of this movie, it’s also known as Plots with a View. With that out of the way, it’s time for a short summary.
Betty and Boris love each other. They’ve loved each other ever since they were teenagers. The only problem is that they never told that fact to anyone. They haven’t even told themselves. Years have passed and Boris is still single, running his funeral home while Betty is married to the mayor of their little town. And yet their love still burns just as hot as it was when they were young. So, Boris decides to make the first move that coincides with the arrival of an eccentric American undertaker and Betty’s husband’s schemes.
When I was younger, I didn’t like movies like this. I was all about that edgy and toilet humor. And I still am, don’t get me wrong. However, over the years, I began to appreciate more and more these classic comedies. Mostly because they also offer a sobering outlook on life. Undertaking Betty is a movie that might change your life. It might push you to send that risky text or do something you’ve been afraid of doing for a long time. You see how time quickly passes by and how by the time you are 50, things have changed. And how you could’ve should have a lot of things.
Undertaking Betty was filmed on location, in Wales. The production actually chose several different towns to represent the fictional village of Wrottin Powys. Cardiff was the biggest one as Caldicot, Cowbridge, and Llantrisant are all really small towns. That last place, Llantrisant proved to be almost fatal to poor Lee Evans who fell out of the window while filming a scene. Finally, if you’re looking for movies like Undertaking Betty check out Death At The Funeral and Keeping Mum.
Director: Nick Hurran
Writer: Fred Ponzlov
Cast: Alfred Molina, Brenda Blethyn, Naomi Watts, Christopher Walken, Lee Evans, Jerry Springer
Fun Stuff: Undertaking Betty AKA Plots With a View won a Cymru Award at the 2003 BAFTA Awards.
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IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298504/
