Colibel Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Tayloriona Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

bob the moo We join this mystery to find that Poirot is on his way to somewhere with a lawyer friend who wishes him to help look into a murder which may or may not be connected to a rather suspicious series of events following the funeral of a client. This introduction to this story is nicely done because very quickly we get an introduction to a contained but quite large circle of family members who will essentially make up our suspects; it also saves time because it allows the viewer to look back over events in a neat way rather than having to play them out.From here the plot thickens as various motives and family rivalries surface, and Poirot is swimming in one lie or another, all while certain little things stick in his mind and in the minds of others. In terms of the development of the mystery, it is very well done so that, although I was nowhere near working it out myself, I was able to pick up on many of the small things which ultimately were of significance. The colorful characters are all well played by the cast, and in particular some of the characters were played so that I was taken in by who I thought they were rather than who they turned out to be (character wise). With a lot going on with a larger group of characters, I appreciated the pacing of the mystery too – it has urgency and tension to it, but not so much that it changes the style of the series; it is not that it becomes CSI, but just that it feels lean, focused and effective.The cast is roundly good. Retrospectively it is Fassbender who sticks out due to being much more famous now than he was at this point, however, while he is good, he is surrounded by people with a bit more to get their teeth into. Suchet of course is good as ever, and I liked that the fate of the murderer genuinely seemed to throw him, and he worked well with his feelings around this person. Dolan is also part of that, since she is so sympathetic throughout, and is strong in the denouncement too. Support from Bathurst, Carson, Doyle, James, Punch, and others is all good and gives a strong ensemble feel – but it is Suchet and Dolan that make the lasting impression.Overall, a very enjoyable entry in the series, with a mystery that is introduced at pace and continues to have forward motion but not feel rushed. The cast do good work in the delivery of the satisfying and engaging tale, while the camera and direction keep the sense of pace and thought in there too.

aramis-112-804880 After the funeral of a wealthy old fellow, a dotty great aunt makes the announcement that he was murdered. No one pays her much mind until she's done in, more brutally, with an axe. The family solicitor decides this is a job for Poirot, before the whole family is done it.Not only is there the double murder, Poirot has to deal with a drastically changed will -- or is it a fake? Or can it be that the whole family is lying? In Agatha Christie's world, characters only exist to have something to hide.Later "Poirot" episodes can go off the rails. While the show never strived for the fidelity of, say, the Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes, "Poirot" shows after the turn of the century occasionally leave Agatha Christie in their dust while they pursue ridiculous little stories of their own.One change that has helped the "Poirot" series as a whole is keeping it in an ideal 1930s. The music is invariably good, the sets and clothes are fabulous (and look like they've never been lived in). The Great Depression might be referred to, but no one actually suffers from it.Keeping the setting in the 1930s has been a positive boon to some episodes (such as "Third Girl" and "Cat Among the Pigeons" both lesser and later Christie books but which rank among the better late "Poirot" episodes). "After the Funeral" originally had characters facing post-Second World War shortages. These characters, however, still live in a sort of "Downton Abbey" mindset.Also welcome in "After the Funeral" is the element of humor often shoehorned into the earlier "Poirot" episodes. The later, feature-length "Poirot" episodes often forget that murder can be a heavy subject and a spoon full of sugar will help the medicine go down.While this episode (unlike others in the series, such as the abysmal "Appointment with Death") does show fidelity to the source, at least where the murderer and the victims are concerned, some characters have been altered, and I think for the better. Most notably, one character has been changed to an aspiring missionary, leading to tough and ultimately touching lifestyle decisions. It's probably another case where certain people will come down hard on "Poirot" for "religious overtones" stating, without foundation, that Poirot was not a religious characters in the books. I can only say they have not read the books very carefully. Christie might disguise it in Poirot's pidgin-French phrases like "le Bon Dieu" but it's a rich mine to be excavated. The religious overtones in this episode are not at all preachy in the way of shows who shoehorn in environmentalist messages about saving the planet and the coming "Global Warming" apocalypse. I, for one, think it's healthy to see characters wrestling realistically with the problems of faith that are so dear to so many people. For people whose faith is unfaith, Christians are either Elmer Gantry or Ned Flanders. People without faith in their lives, especially in the entertainment industry, can often stereotype people of faith as driven by guilt, or mindlessly cheerful, or utter hypocrites. It's nice to see the rare television episode where the vast middle ground is explored, however slightly. On the whole, despite (and perhaps because of) the changes from the original book, "After the Funeral" is a quite good later "Poirot" episode, not nearly as dark as gloomy as usual. Kudos. It's a keeper.

TheLittleSongbird After The Funeral was absolutely superb, and by far the best episode of the season. I was disappointed with Cards On the Table, that started off so well but let down considerably by the last half hour, and I didn't know what to think of Taken At the Flood, though I do remember being confused at the end. After the Funeral as I've said is one of my all time favourite Poirot episodes, up there with Five Little Pigs, Sad Cypress and The ABC Murders. I was afraid that they would ruin the story, but instead it is very faithful to the book. Now I will say I don't mind changes to books, and try not to compare movies and TV adaptations to their sources, except when the book is a masterpiece and the adaptation doesn't do it justice. That's why I disliked some of the Marples like Nemesis and Sleeping Murder, and so far out of the Poirots The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Taken At the Flood and Cards on the Table are the only ones that really did disappoint. Everything else ranges from good to outstanding, even the recent Appointment with Death, despite the many deviations from the book, which I admit isn't a favourite, was surprisingly good, thanks to the marvellous production values, stellar ensemble performances and outstanding music score. Back to After the Funeral, the production values are fantastic. It has a really cinematic feel to it, and the stunning photography and splendid scenery and costumes made it a visual feast for the eyes. The music was very stirring and even haunting, and the entire cast give wonderful performances. David Suchet is impeccable as always as Poirot, and Geraldine James and Anna Calder Marshall are just as terrific. But for me, the standout was Monica Dolan as Mrs Gilchrist, she is up there with Donald Sumpter and Polly Walker as the best supporting actor/actress in a Poirot episode, that's how good her performance was. All in all, a must see, one of the best Poirot episodes by far, and one of the more faithful ones too. 10/10 Bethany Cox

blanche-2 David Suchet is Agatha Christie's mustached detective Hercule Poirot in "After the Funeral," produced in 2005. Anyone who has heard David Suchet speak with his own British accent knows what a shock it is, because his accent as Poirot is so perfect and organic to the character. Suchet is the Poirot of Agatha Christie's books, and although I confess a love for Peter Ustinov in the role, his portrayal doesn't have that much to do with what Christie wrote.In this episode, Poirot is asked by a solicitor friend to investigate the possible murder of one of his clients. Enroute on the train, the solicitor recounts the events after the death - a strange will disinheriting the expected heir and the pronouncement of the man's sister that he was murdered. When Poirot meets the family, he discovers adultery, lots of secrets, another will and murder.The story is excellent with rich production values and a wonderful, detailed depiction of the time period. All of the acting is superb, particularly from Monica Dolan, who plays Miss Gilchrist. Poirot here is without Hastings, his beautiful office, or Miss Lemon but he's effective nonetheless.I had the privilege of seeing David Suchet on Broadway in "Amadeus." Breathtaking. What an actor - when he's playing Poirot, all I see IS Poirot.