Dead in a Week (Or Your Money Back)

REVIEW - DEAD IN A WEEK (OR YOUR MONEY BACK)

Suicide is a serious subject or so I thought until I saw this British made (very) dark comedy about a young man wanting and failing to take his own life.

I know, a strange film and an even stronger review, but actually this film was surprisingly good.

As I've said some very dark humour and certainly not a subject that will appeal to most but with the twists and turns you actually enjoy the fact that the central character has hired an assassin to kill him in one week or get his money back.

Whilst the subject matter of the film is about suicide actually the film promotes one simple truth......

Life is precious.

Rating 7 out of 10

I can't understand all the terrible (external) reviews for this movie. I found it extremely funny, with excellent performances from the entire cast. The first hour seemed stronger than the last 30 minutes, but this is a common problem with films, so it didn't bother me too much.

If you like black comedies, like Harold and Maude, for example, this one is certainly worth a try.

It's not often that a film really manages to keep a balance in tone, but boy, this one delivered. The humour really hinges on the ridiculous premise: that one can hire an assassin 'outsource suicide'. It's really quite rare that a movie will tackle such a matter with nuance and care, especially in a comedy, but it was handled expertly and extremely maturely. As someone who has struggled with suicidal thoughts, it was refreshing to be able to see just how silly the notion of suicide really is, captured in witty dialogue and interesting visuals. I have seen many reviews complaining that it is slow and boring, and that there really isn't much that is new in this film, but I do disagree. The way the characters treat the reality of the world and death is very similar to 'The End of the F***ing World'; it doesn't underestimate the maturity of the audience, instead choosing to baldly and boldly present to us a case that ultimately utterly convinces me the worthiness of life.

If I have to be honest I didn't expect much of this movie with a title like that, but in all fairness I did enjoy this black satirical comedy. It had much more 'fun' moments then I expected. The thick British accent from some of the actors made some conversations even more hilarious. The cast was surprisingly good as the whole cast brought something special to the story. A story that is easy to watch and that will make you laugh if you have a good sense of humor. The movie will probably not have as much success as a big Hollywood production but it deserves it probably much more.

A pleasant dark comedy that will surprise you with uniqueness and excellent story telling. The moral of the movie isn't bad either. As long as you don't have high expectations, this will deliver.