This charmingly off-beat, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy breathes new life into the zombie flick. Starring Parks & Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza as back-from-the-dead Beth and Dane DeHaan as her confused boyfriend.
Sometimes tender, sometimes frantic, and always funny… Few of Shaun of the Dead’s descendants have mixed opposing elements so well.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2014
Life After Beth 2014
The zombie film is unstoppable. Its exponential rise has outstripped its outré origins to become an everyday trope, and yet there are signs of new life amongst the rotten carcases of mainstream entertainment. Life After Beth is an off-beat, darkly comedic zom-com that breaks away from the horde with truly endearing performances. When Zach’s (True Blood’s Dane DeHann) girlfriend Beth (Aubrey Plaza, Safety Not Guaranteed; Parks & Recreation) is tragically and suddenly killed by a snake-bite, he is grief-stricken. When a short time later she amazingly reappears very much alive he is thrilled. Along with Beth’s parents (comedy stalwarts John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon) he decides not to overanalyse the situation, just happy to have his beloved Beth back. As Beth’s true nature is revealed and Zach’s world begins to fall apart at the seams, director Jeff Baena deftly leads us to a climax at once moving and laugh-out-loud funny.