Here’s the review for The Pallbearer (1996):
### That Phone Call You Don't Expect
There’s a peculiar sort of dislocation that settles in during your early twenties, isn't there? That strange pause after the structured world of education ends, before the shape of adult life truly solidifies. It’s a feeling The Pallbearer taps into with surprising, sometimes uncomfortable, accuracy. I remember seeing the VHS box on the rental shelf, David Schwimmer’s familiar face promising something akin to his Thursday night Must See TV persona. What unfolded, however, was less broad comedy and more a gentle, melancholic exploration of being adrift, sparked by one of the most awkwardly specific inciting incidents imaginable: a phone call asking our protagonist, Tom Thompson (Schwimmer), to be a pallbearer for a high school classmate he genuinely cannot remember.
### Lost in Translation
That initial premise hangs over the film like a shroud, setting a tone that’s more bittersweet than outright funny. Tom, struggling with unemployment and living back home with his mother (the ever-wonderful Carol Kane), feels the weight of expectation and the sting of his own inertia. The call comes from Ruth Abernathy (Barbara Hershey), the deceased’s mother, who mistakenly believes Tom was his best friend. Trapped by politeness and perhaps a desperate need for some kind of connection or purpose, Tom agrees. This decision spirals, leading him not only into the orbit of the grieving, seductive Ruth but also towards Julie DeMarco (Gwyneth Paltrow), the girl he crushed on in high school, who actually does remember him.
It’s a setup ripe for farce, and there are moments that lean that way, but director Matt Reeves, in his feature debut, seems more interested in the quiet anxieties beneath the surface. This wasn't entirely surprising learning that the project originated as his thesis film script at USC, co-written with Jason Katims (who would later give us the much-loved Friday Night Lights series). There's an earnestness here, a desire to capture something truthful about that post-graduate paralysis, even if the plot mechanics sometimes feel borrowed. Comparisons to The Graduate (1967) were inevitable upon release – the aimless young man, the affair with an older, married woman, the pining for an idealized younger woman – and while the influence is clear, The Pallbearer lacks the sharp satirical bite and iconic style of Mike Nichols’ classic. It feels gentler, more uncertain of itself, much like its protagonist.
### Friends, Lovers, and Awkward Pauses
David Schwimmer, riding the massive wave of Friends fame, carries the film. It's impossible to completely separate Tom Thompson from Ross Geller; the slumped shoulders, the hesitant delivery, the air of perpetual bewilderment are all present. Yet, Schwimmer imbues Tom with a deeper melancholy, a vulnerability that goes beyond sitcom timing. You feel his isolation, his quiet desperation to connect, even as he makes increasingly complicated choices. His scenes with Barbara Hershey crackle with a nervous energy, the forbidden nature of their connection palpable.
Gwyneth Paltrow, meanwhile, radiates the effortless charm that would soon make her a household name (Emma released the same year, and Shakespeare in Love was just a couple of years away). Julie represents a more hopeful, grounded path for Tom, but the film wisely avoids making her a simple prize to be won. Their interactions feel tentative, capturing that fumbling attempt to reconnect with someone from your past when you've both become different people. And let's not forget Toni Collette as Cynthia, Julie's sharp-tongued friend. Even in a smaller role, fresh off her breakout in Muriel's Wedding (1994), she injects a welcome dose of cynical realism.
### Retro Fun Facts: The Path from Pallbearer
It's fascinating to look back at Matt Reeves’ beginnings here, knowing his later trajectory includes blockbusters like Cloverfield (2008), the acclaimed Planet of the Apes sequels (2014, 2017), and The Batman (2022). While The Pallbearer doesn't hint at epic ape battles or Gotham City noir, you can see early signs of a director interested in mood and character psychology. The film, shot on location in Brooklyn, has a tangible sense of place, capturing the brownstone-lined streets and the specific feeling of a New York neighborhood. Produced under J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot banner (though the company wasn't officially named that yet, Abrams was a producer), it represented an early foray into feature films for that creative team. Despite the Schwimmer star power, the film struggled commercially, making back less than its modest $8 million budget at the box office, perhaps hampered by audience expectations of a straightforward comedy clashing with its more dramatic, indie sensibilities. The soundtrack, too, firmly plants it in the mid-90s, featuring tracks from bands like The Lemonheads and Belly.
### Lingering Questions
Does The Pallbearer fully overcome its derivative elements or occasional tonal wobbles? Not entirely. The pacing can sometimes drag, and the central conceit, while intriguing, requires a significant suspension of disbelief. Yet, there's an undeniable sincerity to it, a relatable awkwardness that resonates. It captures that specific 90s blend of irony and earnestness, the feeling of being smart enough to see the pitfalls of adulthood but not quite equipped to navigate them. It asks questions about identity, obligation, and the strange ways we connect (or fail to connect) with others. What defines friendship? How much do we owe the past, or the expectations of others? Watching it again on a format long since retired, it felt less like the laugh-out-loud comedy the poster might have suggested back in '96, and more like a quiet, slightly wistful look at figuring things out, one awkward step at a time.
Rating: 6/10
Justification: While hampered by pacing issues and undeniable comparisons to The Graduate, The Pallbearer offers surprisingly effective moments of melancholic charm, anchored by Schwimmer's vulnerably awkward lead performance and strong support from Paltrow and Hershey. It captures a specific post-college ennui and serves as a fascinating early work from director Matt Reeves, showcasing hints of the atmospheric focus he'd develop later. It’s flawed, yes, but possesses a gentle, unassuming quality that lingers.
Final Thought: It’s a film that reminds you how easily paths diverge, and how sometimes the strangest circumstances force you to finally choose a direction, even if you don't quite remember how you got there.