Growing up is never a particularly simple journey, but it is made marginally easier by the presence of a good friend or two with whom you can tackle life’s challenges. There is nothing quite as important as a meaningful companion, especially when navigating your adolescent years, which prove to be a difficult time for any of us, and one that each of us embraces differently. A very unique glimpse into this subject comes in the form of Funeral Kings, in which brothers Kevin and Matthew McManus carve a delightfully compelling comedy inspired by their upbringing, in which they follow a few days in the life of Charlie and Andy, who have just entered their teenage years, and are confronted with a wealth of challenges, ranging from their bubbling hormones, their penchant for mischief and the fact that they are wickedly unpopular, something that they intend to change by any means necessary. It’s often been said that those who present themselves as decent members of society are usually the ones that require the most caution, and in the case of these two, their position as angelic altar boys at their local Catholic church is the perfect front for their acts of rebellion, especially in terms of hiding some of their true intentions after finding a locked trunk that contains some potentially incriminating items. A delightfully offbeat and very charming independent comedy from a filmmaking duo who are heavily inspired by their culture and the peculiarities that are normally associated with it, making Funeral Kings an unexpectedly deep and captivating comedy that is as charming as it is effortlessly funny, something that we can immediately discern from its wonderfully irreverent opening moments, until it’s absolutely tremendous conclusion.

We seem to get dozens of coming-of-age films every year, and they tend to range in terms of tone and overall message. There’s value in a lot of them (and their appeal is clear – these are narratives built around the idea of exploring the journey between different chapters of our lives), and the impact of each will come down to personal preference. My interest has always been in two specific kinds over others – those which have a more comedic lean, and those which are freewheeling, meandering stories of childhood, rather than having a clearly defined path in terms of a narrative. In this regard, Funeral Kings is a triumph, since it adheres to both criteria and manages to very effectively examine them in incredible detail. This is the brothers’ debut, which is entirely understandable considering how many filmmakers – particularly those in independent cinema – dabble in telling these stories as their introduction to the industry, with the film being accompanied by several fascinating elements that are extremely captivating and earn our attention. In addition to the story of two young boys navigating their early teenage years, Funeral King also examines the relationship between these characters and their faith (with the directors’ own experience within the Catholic Church informing a lot of this film’s identity), a fascinating subject in itself, and one that is entirely adherent to the overall principles of this narrative, which proves to be a very charming investigation into a pair of characters simply trying to find their way through life, handling the various challenges and obstacles that stand in their way, which they embrace with such incredible compassion, as outlined throughout this delightfully irreverent film.

It should be said that Funeral Kings is a film that is probably going to appeal most to those who have some degree of familiarity with the subject matter – growing up in a small town within the Catholic community is going to make many of these moments resonate much more and with a higher degree of consistency that we find makes this film so much more compelling and enticing. However, this is not a restriction on the potential enjoyment of those who live outside of this community. If anything, this film allows outsiders a glimpse into what it was like to be a rebel growing up in a notoriously strict religion that is often defined by its draconian dogma, and how it can be the gateway to a number of additional experiences that are less likely to be familiar to those who were raised in a more liberal household. The McManus Brothers capture the spirit of the material with such incredible consistency – the film is mostly a freewheeling, easygoing comedy that consists of a series of episodic moments in the lives of the central duo, weaving in and out of various spaces that they frequent, and showing their interactions with various characters that are either allies to their mischievous endeavours, or rivals that stand in their way. The film does have a couple of moments of sentimentality, but they’re brief and meaningful, and certainly do not overstay their welcome. However, there are still a lot of very compelling moments that we may not expect from something this seemingly simple, but the directors do their best to keep everything logical and in some kind of order, leading to quite a poignant, entertaining comedy with as much heart as it has offbeat humour.

One of the great benefits of a film like Funeral Kings is that it allows audiences to become acquainted with actors that we may not normally encounter, since its fierce independence required casting performers who are slightly less well-known or entirely newcomers, which can be quite an interesting experience at the best of times. This is particularly notable in the case of coming-of-age films, which tend to rely very much on younger actors who may not have much experience, but compensate for it through the sheer commitment to realising these characters, and a higher likelihood that what they are setting out to achieve by working more closely with the directors. This film is anchored by two absolutely splendid lead performances, delivered by Dylan Hartigan and Alex Maizus, both of whom had some slight experience but were mostly unknown young actors who immediately command the screen. Their angelic innocence is quickly depleted within the first scene, where it becomes clear just how lovably corrupt they are, their mischievous personas and ability to play into the more complex aspects of these characters being absolutely remarkable. It’s not necessarily the most deep and meaningful character study, but it is certainly worth our time in terms of how it navigates the ups and downs of what it is like to be a teenager growing up in an environment that doesn’t normally foster much enthusiasm or excitement, and the two leads are exceptional ambassadors for the brothers’ vision, which proves to be the centrepiece of the entire film, and the primary reason why Funeral Kings is so wonderfully compelling.

Stepping into a film like Funeral Kings is certainly an interesting experience – it’s not a film populated by major stars, and the directors are very unfamiliar to anyone who is not deeply ingrained in the deepest recesses of the American independent film scene, and even then, they have not had the kind of breakthrough that we would expect based on their talent. If anything, this film feels more like a discovery, a work we stumble across almost by accident, but which we ultimately can’t stop watching once we find ourselves right in the clutches of this film. It’s a very compelling comedy, one that is filled with heart and soul, and an endless stream of irreverent humour that becomes absolutely vibrant as the film progresses and we unpeel the various layers that define it. Hilarious to a fault and driven by two exceptional performances by the young leads, Funeral Kings is a terrific love letter to many different ideas – the journey through adolescence, friendship between people who share common goals and the role religion plays in shaping our identity, which can be a challenging endeavour at the best of times, but one that is a lot more enduring than we may imagine based on a cursory glance.