Below the garb of a thriller, writer-director Seabold Krebs’ characteristic debut, Bury Me When I’m Dead (2025) goals for a profound exploration of grief and remorse. Nevertheless, regardless of its noble intentions, the movie’s generic plot-driven story thwarts its effort to develop into one thing greater than a style movie. It assessments Krebs’ talent, and sadly, “Bury Me When I’m Dead” dwindles. The gradual and meditative tempo comes throughout as a vapid stylistic selection, not a conducive surroundings to drag the viewers into an examination of the characters’ psyches. Because of this, the supposed cinematic dignity stays out of attain.
The movie begins properly, with an intriguing premise. Henry (Devon Terrell) and Catherine (Charlotte Hope) appear to be a fortunately married couple. They run a cutesy flower store collectively. Nevertheless, their lovey-dovey world is wrecked by the hardest curveball life can throw at you. Most cancers. Catherine is identified and mentioned to have only some weeks to reside. Realizing absolutely properly what it means, she decides to not get remedy. Like lots of characters in films the place most cancers performs a serious position, Catherine decides to forgo remedy in favor of residing by her personal phrases, even whether it is for a short time. Though I mentioned ‘residing,’ she primarily needed to die on her phrases.
Catherine expresses her need for a pure burial. With seeds inserted inside her useless physique, she hopes to develop into the soil for a tree. Unable to develop into a mom in life, she plans to develop into one after her demise. Henry guarantees to fulfil her final want. Nevertheless, Catherine’s ultra-rich father, who’s a politician, threatens Henry. He needs a Christian burial for his daughter. With the threats in thoughts, Henry proceeds to Catherine’s farmhouse to reside out Catherine’s remaining few days together with her. From the second the information broke, it was evident that Henry was not as wrecked as anticipated. The explanation turns into clear after they begin to reside in the farmhouse.
Henry was dishonest on Catherine earlier than her prognosis. Henry has been seeing Rebecca (Makenzie Leigh), who works at the flower store, earlier than coming to the distant farmhouse. Catherine has identified it for some time. Understandably, Henry’s guilt has overcome his disappointment. Krebs’ screenplay performs with Henry’s feelings. The placid vacuum Henry’s demeanor displays is concerningly off-putting, to say the least. Understandably, as the movie progresses, we discover causes for Henry’s numbness. Nevertheless, his preliminary muted response doesn’t seize the progress properly.
Having mentioned that, “Bury Me When I’m Dead” just isn’t devoid of praiseworthy components. Krebs’ experimentation doesn’t fall flat in its entirety. The mix of psychological paranoia and plot-driven scheming just isn’t a rousing success. Nevertheless, it’s not with out its deserves. For example, Henry’s surname is Samsa. A nod in the direction of Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis,” maybe. Actually, after Catherine’s funeral, Henry’s life does take a Gregor Samsa-like flip. It’s not as life-upending as turning into an insect, however it’s not a easy journey both. The movie maintains its grip regardless of a gradual tempo that doesn’t complement the story.
Certainly one of the higher points of the movie is its dialogue. Krebs has a knack for sharply natural sentences that swimsuit their characters properly. Certainly one of the greatest moments in the movie is when a supporting character named Buck (fantastically acted by Mike Houston) goes on a rant about life generally. “Bury Me” additionally has an ending that accentuates the eerie essence of destiny that the movie was going for. Provided that the movie didn’t channel the fatigued power of a movie misplaced underneath its weight.
Coming to the performances, as talked about earlier, Mike Houston’s efficiency is one in all the finer points of the movie. Houston’s earnestly eccentric flip breathes life into that small position, which in flip, elevates most of the scenes he’s concerned in. The ever-so-slight infusion of darkish humor comes from his finish, and the movie appears to be in dire want of these moments. As the lead, Devon Terrell’s Henry seemed to be ill-fitted. Maybe not totally Terrell’s fault, Henry appears to pull the movie down, which was already dragging. Makenzie Leigh and Charlotte Hope have been fairly good. Particularly Hope. Her bodily efficiency as the dying Catherine resonates notably properly.
