When Craig’s childhood friend from Orange County dies, his wealthy father reaches out to Craig to film the funeral’s processions. Craig signs a contract, not knowing the reception is going to be a party.

SYNOPSIS:

FUNERAL PARTY is a current era, dark comedy script about a repugnant funeral and its processions. Craig Quill (28) is the owner of a media company that does filming for life events such as weddings, graduations, and birthdays. Craig’s film company is having mediocre success. He isn’t getting enough clients and the events the company films are marred by unfortunate events. After a wedding where the cake falls on the bride, Richard Parker (32), the co-owner of Craig’s media company, assures Craig that the clients will come eventually.

A few days later in Orange County, Walter Cunningham (28), a rich and entitled man who used to be Craig’s close friend in middle school, dies in a speedboat accident while going out for a reckless ride at sea. Barry Cunningham (60s), a man who became rich because of his endowment, calls Craig and wants to meet with him. During the meeting, Craig is offered a superabundant contract of $500,000 to film both Walter’s funeral and the processions after. Craig feels wrong about taking a huge payment but his company needs it. He assumes Barry has nothing nonsensical planned and immediately signs the contract.

Craig finds out moments into the Church service that the funeral is quite unorthodox. The family’s eulogies are eccentric, Walter’s ex girlfriend is overly dramatic, and there’s an inappropriate dance tribute. Walter’s mother invites everyone to the house for a funeral party. Craig and his friends arrive at Walter’s house and see that the backyard is set up for an actual party. There is a stage for music performers, a full bar, jumpers for kids, and a miniature Mesoamerican pyramid. When Craig finds out that Walter is going to be publicly cremated, he considers stopping the filming of the event. Richard convinces Craig to continue the filming as long as nothing else obscene occurs. Throughout the rest of the party, secrets about Walter’s past are revealed, his exes get into a fight, his step sister tries to seduce Craig, and his parents get extremely drunk and pass out.

At the end of the party, Craig finds out that Walter’s ashes are going to be raffled off. Craig has finally had enough and takes it upon himself to put a stop to the party and the filming. Walter’s crazed ex girlfriend sneaks behind Craig and tries to take Walter’s ashes for herself. When Craig tries to stop her, the ashes are hurled in the air and fall on a woman Craig was trying to talk to the whole time. Craig gets knocked out by the woman and wakes up in Walter’s house the next morning. Craig finds a sober Barry in the living room sitting by an urn with some of Walter’s ashes. Barry explains to Craig that he lost his mind after losing Walter and that’s why he planned all the ridiculous things he did. Craig offers to give the money from the contract back. Barry declines, telling Craig he wants to hear all the things people said about Walter to remember him better. Craig films an interview of himself talking about Walter, concluding that even though Walter and people from Orange County live in a bubble, they are still good at heart. The footage of the funeral party eventually goes viral and Craig’s media company gets a countless amount of requests to film events.

*Script available on Script Revolution or for serious enquirers only.