TIFF 2026 Review: Back in Black – “a clever, slightly unhinged gem”

courtesy of TIFF

“Shut up. Listen”

It’s a phrase heard multiple times in Ron Murphy’s directorial debut Back in Black.  What makes it funny is that Christopher Walken says it multiple times to a character who is mute.  That’s one of the running gags of the film, but also tells you what sort of dry humour you’re in for.  With Walken’s delivery, it’s bound to garner a chuckle.  It’s far from the only thing that will have you laughing, though in this black comedy it helps if you have a somewhat macabre sense of humour. 

Walken plays Clyde, the owner of a generational business, the Mortimer Family Funeral Home.  His wife, Autumn (a delightful Jane Curtin) prepares the bodies but Clyde is the salesman, using his charm and charisma to get the newly grieving to part ways with their money.  You want the best send-off for your loved one, don’t you? That’s a top-of-the-line casket, flowers and a fully catered event!

Only problem is, in the small town where they reside, not a lot of people have been dying.  When ‘a virus’ came through, it got rid of all the “low-hanging fruit,” as Clyde says.  But, while this should have bolstered business, no one was allowed to hold gatherings.  As he drives with his granddaughter, the aforementioned silent Sam (Ella Ballentine), the radio announcer solemnly delivers the news that over 70,000 people have died in drug overdoses in the States.  “Not here.” Clyde laments.  He drives past a traffic accident and is disappointed when the police officer reports back that everyone is okay. You have to actively try to die these days, he says, with all the airbags and seat belts, health food stores and safety checks.  They just can’t catch a break.

Check out all of our TIFF coverageAs the bank closes in on their business, Sam can’t help but be sad looking at her hard-working grandparents.  And she starts to take matters into her own hands to ensure that the funeral home can succeed.  As people of the town mysteriously start to become patrons, laughter returns to the Mortimer household, fuelled by the tears of those who have lost.  

Back in Black (not to be confused with the 2024 Amy Winehouse biopic Back TO Black) is the type of film that has you rooting for these characters even though they find joy and success in other people’s death.  Who doesn’t want to see Christopher Walken and Jane Curtin dancing with delight, laughing with joy at their reversal of fortune?  You start to crave it as much as Sam does.  Walken is perfectly cast here, the one person who can deliver the foul-mouthed, darkly comedic lines Murphy and writing partner Nick Torokvei have crafted, while still keeping your sympathy.  Him and Curtin are treasures to be protected at all costs.  At 83 and 79-years-old respectfully, these two actors are simply inspirations.  

There are a couple of holes in the film that could have been better developed, though it doesn’t really take away from the movie’s enjoyment. Sam’s parents passed, but that’s never really explored.  We presume it’s the reason she doesn’t speak, though that trauma is not broken down.  Ella Ballentine has a challenging role in this film, but she channels her inner Wednesday Addams and her expressions tell you all you need to know.  The deaths she orchestrates are not overly gruesome on screen, but their concoctions are creative. The ending was pretty shocking, and I’m sure in a full theatre it will induce a fair number of gasps (as it did in this audience of one at home).  

I find that at film festivals, audiences are often overdosed with the dramatic, the emotional.  Back in Black is a bright spot in the festival grind.  It has a satirical feel with some sharp, witty writing and performances that can deliver.  It’s the sort of dark comedy I can get behind.  Back in Black is a clever, slightly unhinged gem that might just have you questioning if your sense of humour is perhaps a little deranged.  Or perhaps, Ron Murphy is just a kindred spirit who recognizes that sometimes the only response to life’s absurdities is to laugh right through the chaos.

Back in Black had its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival Wednesday, September 13th.  For more information, head to tiff.net

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