I often have a soft spot for dark comedies—especially those that veer dangerously close to the line of cruelty, yet never quite cross it. Things can get nasty, of course, but the film must never lose sight of its comedic core. *Over Your Dead Body* is a film that, at first, seems poised to go too far—though it always knows exactly when to pull back. The humor here is interwoven with elements of action and suspense, transforming the film into something quite different from what it initially appeared to be. The result is a bit uneven at the start; however, once the movie finds its rhythm, it delivers moments of sheer entertainment fueled by pitch-black humor.
*Over Your Dead Body* elicits big laughs, along with one or two truly shocking surprises—something that is greatly appreciated in a dark comedy of this ilk. The violence proves bloodier than one might expect, while the laughs spring from the most outlandish situations. This serves to take a premise that might otherwise feel off-putting and transforms it into a consistently engaging and laugh-inducing cinematic experience.
Director: Jorma Taccone
Writers: Tommy Wirkola, Nick Ball, John Niven
Stars: Nikolai Kinski, Kayla Radomski, Jason Segel
For the married couple Dan (Jason Segel) and Lisa (Samara Weaving), a "reset" of their romantic life has become imperative. He is an indie film director who has been relegated to shooting commercials, while she is an actress struggling to make her way in the industry. They were once in love, but now they live in a state of utter misery—so much so that their trip to a remote cabin harbors a ulterior motive: both have plans to murder the other. Dan has devised a highly elaborate scheme, while Lisa opts for a simpler approach; however, both encounter an unexpected snag when they uncover each other's intentions. And the situation becomes even more complicated when they discover that they won't be alone at the cabin.
Just as they are deciding who will carry out the murder, two escaped convicts—Pete (Timothy Olyphant) and Todd (Keith Jardine)—burst onto the scene, accompanied by prison guard Arabella (Juliette Lewis), with whom Pete is romantically involved. She has helped them escape, and while they need a place to lie low, they also harbor their own murderous intentions. Consequently, Dan and Lisa find themselves forced to collaborate in order to survive, developing—in the process—a renewed affection for one another. If they manage to survive this harrowing ordeal, perhaps—just perhaps—they might get a second chance at a happy ending.
Jason Segel and Samara Weaving get the opportunity to play roles somewhat different from their usual fare, with highly gratifying results. Segel rarely appears this dark, while Weaving tends to portray tougher, more combative characters; for this reason, the casting proves to be highly entertaining. The chemistry born from their constant bickering feels authentic; both actors execute the action sequences with great aplomb, all while continuing to elicit plenty of laughs from the audience. Timothy Olyphant clearly has a blast, especially during a perilous sequence in which he reveals himself to be a huge fan of Dan’s first film. Keith Jardine and Juliette Lewis also have their moments to shine, but Segel and Weaving are, by far, the highlights of the show. The supporting cast includes Jake Curran, Robert Goodman, Paul Guilfoyle, Nikolai Kinski, Kayla Radomski, Danusia Samal, and others.
Director Jorma Taccone is well-known in the world of comedy—though he has previously dabbled in the action genre—making him a perfect fit for this material. Working from a script by Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney (an adaptation of the Norwegian film *I Onde Dager*), Taccone leans heavily on the element of surprise to deliver the film's most effective moments. The use of flashbacks—narrative devices employed to introduce a new character's backstory or to fill in plot gaps—is utilized with great profusion and yields consistently amusing results. The shocking violence that erupts within the plot lingers in the memory longer than one might expect, lending a certain weight and gravity to a production that is, in all other respects, quite zany. Clocking in at 105 minutes, the film's pacing drags slightly in certain stretches, preventing it from being quite as dynamic and fast-paced as it otherwise could have been.
*Over Your Dead Body* offers a brand of dark, entertaining amusement—provided, of course, that the viewer has the stomach to handle a pitch-black comedy. The film features scenes of explicit gore, a level of violence far exceeding what we typically see Jason Segel endure, and comedic moments that spring from situations that are frankly uncomfortable.
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