The Funeral

From Calvin Klein model to convincing corpse, newcomer Vincent Gallo is the centerpiece of Abel Ferrara's The Funeral. Ferrara, who departs from his signature shock and choreographed violence, tells the turbulent tale of three crime brothers, their exploits and bad blood. Set against an emotionally-charged backdrop, The Funeral is at times provocative, at times a tangled mess. Gallo is compelling as a laconic Communist. Isabella Rosellini and Chris Penn deliver chillingly passionate performances; however, the muddled story of family ties, politicos and Catholicism tries hard but never quite gets off the ground. Ferrara's use of simplistic, gratuitous flashbacks to define his characters comes off as cheap, and the plotlines are often predictable. The Funeral had the potential to be a great film, but is better off laid to rest. (A. Glover)