Eulogy (2004)

Synopsis: When three generations of a deliciously dysfunctional family gather to bury the family patriarch, the beloved granddaughter of the deceased is given the task of delivering the eulogy. In the days leading up to the funeral, family secrets... When three generations of a deliciously dysfunctional family gather to bury the family patriarch, the beloved granddaughter of the deceased is given the task of delivering the eulogy. In the days leading up to the funeral, family secrets are revealed, old grudges resurface and the household erupts with renewed vigor. A wickedly irreverent comedy, Eulogy is ultimately a heartwarming portrait of a houseful of misfits celebrating the strangest and most enduring bond of all. Kate Collins (Zooey Deschanel), struggling through an awkward first year at college, returns home upon the death of her grandfather. At school, Kate might not fit in, but at home, she is quickly surrounded by a disruptive group of people even weirder than she is: her family. First, there's her father, Daniel (Hank Azaria), once child star, now in “adult” films. Then there's tightly wound Aunt Lucy (Kelly Preston), who has waited till the last minute to announce her wedding to life partner Judy (Famke Janssen); and wildly inappropriate Uncle Skip (Ray Romano) with his obnoxious twin boys. And last but not least, there's uptight and pushy Aunt Alice (Debra Winger), whose brash approach to marriage, motherhood and casseroles is unsettling to all concerned. When her grandmother (Piper Laurie) entrusts her with the task of delivering the eulogy at the funeral, Kate turns to her relatives for help. She quickly comes to realize that her own fond memories of Grandpa Collins (Rip Torn) are not shared by his children, who can only remember a distant father who, when around, could barely keep their names straight. As Kate struggles to find the right words to commemorate the solemn occasion, the rest of the family prepares for the event with its usual unruliness. In between the raucous infighting and the hilarious backbiting, family secrets are revealed and old wounds are exposed. In the end, the family come to realize that theirs is a legacy of chaos, redeemed only by comfort they find in each other. The feature debut of writer-director Michael Clancy, Eulogy boasts an ensemble of Hank Azaria (America's Sweethearts, The Birdcage), Jesse Bradford (Swimfan, Bring It On), Zooey Deschanel (Almost Famous, The Good Girl), Glenne Headly (Babe: Pig in the City, Dick Tracy), Famke Janssen (X Men 1 and 2, James Bond’s Goldeneye), Piper Laurie (The Hustler, Carrie, Children of a Lesser God), Kelly Preston (The Cat in the Hat, Jerry Maguire), Ray Romano (acclaimed star of award-winning television series “Everybody Loves Raymond”), Rip Torn (Men In Black, Wonder Boys) and Debra Winger (An Officer and A Gentleman, Shadowlands, Terms of Endearment). Eulogy is a Myriad Pictures presentation, in association with Ovation Entertainment, Equity Pictures Medienfonds and S.R.O. Entertainment AF. Lions Gate will release Eulogy on May 21, 2004. [More]

Starring: Hank Azaria, Jesse Bradford, Zooey Deschanel, Famke Janssen

Starring: Hank Azaria, Jesse Bradford, Zooey Deschanel, Famke Janssen, Glenne Headly, Piper Laurie, Kelly Preston, Ray Romano, Rip Torn, Debra Winger

Director: Michael Clancy

Director: Michael Clancy
Screenwriter: Michael Clancy
Producer: Steven M. Haft, Kirk D'Amico
Studio: Lions Gate Films

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