The Pallbearer

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The Pallbearer

PG-13,

1996,

1h 37m,

Comedy/

Drama

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Watchlist

Watchlist

45%

20 Reviews

Tomatometer

18%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

45%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

18%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Aspiring architect Tom Thompson (David Schwimmer) is told by mysterious Ruth Abernathy (Barbara Hershey) that his best friend, Bill, has taken his own life. Except that Tom has never met Bill and neither have his incredulous friends. So when Tom foolishly agrees to give the eulogy at Bill's funeral, it sets him on a collision course with Ruth -- who is revealed to be Bill's oversexed mother -- and Julie DeMarco (Gwyneth Paltrow), the longtime crush Tom hasn't seen since they were teens.

Critics Consensus

Between a dark comedy and a romantic one, The Pallbearer confounds, and David Schwimmer's puppy dog eyes can't save the procession from going six feet under.

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

Aug 6, 2017

At its best, it sports a forgiving humanism - none of these people are all that bad, they're just wounded and needy and uncertain.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 1, 2000

3/4

The director, Matt Reeves, has a master plan, and it's amazing how a movie with so many detours can arrive so convincingly at its destination.

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Alison Macor

Austin Chronicle

Jan 1, 2000

3/5

The Pallbearer redeems itself through Paltrow's playing Julie as awkwardly as Schwimmer does Tom, and just as endearingly.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Apr 6, 2022

3/4

...the picture benefits substantially from its raft of agreeable elements...

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Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

Aug 12, 2005

1/5

Oh God! Who told David Schwimmer he could act???

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Jun 17, 2005

C

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Leia P

Jul 12, 2018

Long before Cloverfield, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Let Me In, writer/director Matt Reeves gave us the Pallbearer, a film that has no right being as good as it is. It is surprisingly smart, funny, and real thanks to Reeves' unconventional approach, which makes it one of the best rom-coms of the 90s. Unfortunately, like Reeves himself, the Pallbearer will forever be underrated.

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Matt Reeves

Director

David Schwimmer

Tom Thompson

Gwyneth Paltrow

Julie DeMarco

Michael Rapaport

Brad Schorr

Toni Collette

Cynthia

Carol Kane

Tom's Mother

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Synopsis

Aspiring architect Tom Thompson (David Schwimmer) is told by mysterious Ruth Abernathy (Barbara Hershey) that his best friend, Bill, has taken his own life. Except that Tom has never met Bill and neither have his incredulous friends. So when Tom foolishly agrees to give the eulogy at Bill's funeral, it sets him on a collision course with Ruth -- who is revealed to be Bill's oversexed mother -- and Julie DeMarco (Gwyneth Paltrow), the longtime crush Tom hasn't seen since they were teens.

Director: Matt Reeves
Producer: J.J. Abrams, Paul Webster
Screenwriter: Jason Katims, Matt Reeves
Production Co: Miramax
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 14, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.7M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround

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