I'd give it a "C"
C. Rocklein | 02/21/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The first 45 minutes had all the excitement of a Beverly Hills 90210 episode. Maybe not that much. When the main guy goes to bury his dead girlfriend and lo-and-behold finds another dead body in the ditch he's just dug, you know believablity is not going to be a high point in this movie. The series of unbeleivable scenarios is just beginning to unfold however, and at a rate that's much quicker than the first 45 minutes. The unbeleivablity would have been more forgivable if other elements had been more interesting, but those other elements were missing for me. OK, the second half was at least an improvement on the first in terms of generating interest. Not a terrible movie, but not a great one either."
Don't Let This One Get Buried
R. Schultz | Chicago | 09/15/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a gripping drama in which the various characters keep revealing deeper, darker layers to their personalities.
The main characters are of the "trainspotter" generation - involved in partying hearty. But mature viewers who enjoy an Agatha Christie mystery will find just as much to identify with here.
All the acting is superb. The lead actor sets the dark chain of events in motion when he confesses to his buddy that he killed his girlfriend - accidentally, during one of their regular bouts of disaffection. He enlists his buddy's help in disposing of the body. When he finds that the secluded spot he picked as a burial site is already occupied - by another corpse - things get dangerously complicated for everyone involved.
There are surprises and jolts all along these characters' paths. Although the script is generally literate and well-crafted, there are several loose ends to contend with.
I think though that the main loose end was left dangling intentionally. That is the introductory voice-over narration the main character delivers. He refers to the grisly death of his dog in the opening sequence. This revelation, alluding to dark motives and indifference, sets the tone for the whole movie. However, it constitutes perhaps the biggest mystery of all. It will leave you guessing exactly how this little death fits into the larger, pervasive villainy that's the subject of "Dead Bodies.""