From the sinister setting to the never-ceasing tension, Argentinian film The Funeral Home was a cannonball into an atmospheric world of spiritual death and decay. Though there are some pacing and plot issues, a standout cast, killer soundtrack, and gorgeous cinematography make this a must-see.  

The Funeral Home follows mortician Bernardo. He runs his mortuary in the same house that he lives in with his family and the departed spirits that have decided to call the mortuary home. Paranormal is normal for this family, but when the spirits break the rules set forth by the local shaman, Bernardo and his family begin to realize there may be sinister forces at play. And if they are not careful, the next funeral they plan might be their own. 

The opening sequence introduces viewers to the funeral home and attached residence. The dilapidated interior and dark dingey atmosphere immediately brings about feelings of unease. The entire sequence has sweeping panning shots that give the feel of something slinking and creeping around the home, waiting in the shadows. 

The Funeral Home is indeed a supernatural horror film, but it is so much more than that. There is such a sad heaviness that is present from start to finish. Being that the film takes place in a funeral home, the subject of death is to be expected. What wasn’t expected was the slew of personal and interpersonal issues attached to the family members living in the home. Irina (Camila Vaccarini) misses her father and is grieving him while struggling to accept her new living situation. Irina’s mother Estela (Celeste Gerez), dealing with an angry daughter, failing marriage, and memories of domestic abuse, chose sleeping pills to stave off her immense depression. While funeral homeowner Bernardo (Luis Machín) is dealing with the loss of his father and the realization that he will never be a father, he develops an unusual relationship with the lingering spirits that haunt the home. 

The cast was incredible. Each performer took their respective character and gave them a depressingly brilliant life. Bernardo, Irina, and Estela were multi-dimensional, damaged, and completely out of sync with each other, which added to the film’s tension. Vaccarini should be recognized for her truly dynamic performance as Irina. Her sequences were gut-wrenching, fear-inducing, and captivating. 

One of my favorite aspects of The Funeral Home was the score. The music added so much to the already dismally dark atmosphere. Slow sustained notes paired with jerky sequences enhanced the anxiety factor tenfold. Storywise, the final sequence was gripping. It brought beauty, tragedy, sadness, and horror together seamlessly, giving a well-deserved ending to a well thought out story.

Though The Funeral Home was engaging, occasionally the pacing felt a little slow, allowing for some of the moments with the demon and spirits of the funeral home to pack less of a punch. And some of the film’s plot points were confusing and I felt that they got lost in the fray or that they did not add to the story as a whole. But these issues were comparatively small and were not enough to dampen the final product. 

7 out of 10