I’m always down for a blood-soaked dark comedy, particularly if said production is littered with an abundance of mean-spirited humor and a fair amount of madness and mayhem. Writer/director Alan Butterworth’s upcoming feature-length debut “The Drummond Will” looks as if it will bit the proverbial bill quite nicely. And while it does seem to share several thematic qualities with “A Film with Me in It”, I’ll try not to hold that against it. Besides, “Very Bad Things” nailed the “accidental death” comedy years before either film was a sparkle in their respective creator’s eye.
Before proceeding, a quick synopsis:
Estranged brothers Marcus and Danny Drummond’s return to the English countryside for their father’s funeral takes a surprising and dangerous turn when they are forced to unravel the mystery surrounding his death and wealth. They are quickly entangled in a web of lies and deceit, learning that they are far from alone in seeking his father’s fortune, making the audience question who are in fact the villains. Witty banter, rural England, blood, even the trope of a troubled vicar: this British black comedy celebrates its genre while managing to breathe new life into it.
“The Drummond Will”, which stars Phillip James, Mark Oosterveen, and Nigel Osner, stopped by a few festivals late last year, so hopefully a proper theatrical release will take place sometime during 2011. As promised, the aforementioned trailer and a pretty snazzy poster rest below. Thanks to 24 Frames per Second and Trailer Addict for providing all of the goodies contained within.
