188. Dead Good; movie review

DEAD GOOD
Cert PG
78 mins

BBFC advice: Contains bereavement theme, images of dead bodies

Unfortunately, we have attended too many funerals over recent years but am happy that there has been a trend to make them a celebration of life.
The premise of Dead Good is this grab-back by friends and relatives of a ritual which, for many years, had been taken over by old-fashioned funeral directors.
This meant that every service was like the next, with big black hearses, people dressed in sombre colours and musical dirges.
Nowadays, a person can be transported to a funeral venue in transport ranging from a London bus to a VW camper van and much more of a reflection of their personalities is encouraged.
Rehana Rose's documentary follows three groups of people as they participate in the care of a relative after death.
They are supported by a new type of funeral director who empowers people to take back control.

Myriad possibilities are opened up - from keeping a body at home until the service to bathing and dressing the deceased at the funeral directors' premises.
Some might consider the movie to be a tad too invasive. Dead bodies are seen as are the very personal moments people have with their loved ones.
But this is real life and all of us have to confront it sooner or later.
Indeed, the movie sparked a conversation between Mrs W and me about exactly how we would want our bodies to depart and even the playlist for our respective funerals.
I'm not sure I fancy turning up on a London bus but I can imagine the Sky Bue song (the theme of my football team) piping me out.
And I would want a few pals to give some nice reminiscences or mickey-takes.
Yep, it's good that we have been able to reclaim death and, with that in mind, Rose's film, albeit short and slight, is important.

Reasons to watch: An interesting slant on the funeral industry
Reasons to avoid: Uncomfortably intrusive at times

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? The number of people in Britain who say they have no religion has increased by 46% over the past seven years, making non-religious people the fastest growing group in the country, according to figures released by the Office of National Statistics in April, 2019

The final word. Rehana Rose: "There’s definitely a change happening. People of my age are dealing with the deaths of parents and of our peer group and perhaps have a very different outlook on how things can be done and how involved they can be and how much control someone can have in what they want to have done.” Eye For Film

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