THE FUNERAL (1996)

Johnny Tempio (Vincent Gallo), obnoxious, violent, Communist (!) youngest brother in a NYC Mafia faction, is murdered, and laid out at the home of his morose but menacing oldest brother, Ray (Christopher Walken), chief of the clan. He and overwrought, unstable middle brother Chez (Chris Penn) swear revenge on top suspect, swaggering, up-and-coming Gaspare (Benicio Del Toro), who turns out not to be the killer but dies anyway. There's little action in what fans call a "character study," but I didn't like the characters, particularly Ray, who goes on and on about God, religion and other distractions; and Chez, who's really irritating. The acting is good, especially Annabella Sciorrio, as Ray''s hard-edged, pragmatic wife, who knows where this is going to end up--and it does. Director Abel Ferrara has his fans, and they say this is one of his best efforts. Not me.