The decision to choose laughter over sadness when faced with the passing of a loved one is well placed in Brad J. McBride’s Death in the Afternoon. Of course, it’s made much easier by the secrets revealed and the legal repercussions brought on by James Cameron and his criminal collaborators in this comedic film. Cameron’s demise is the tipping point which brings those around him to reveal their true nature. One of the most magnetic characters and performances in the ensemble is that of Grace Adams, brought to life by actress Suzanne Gullabovska.
Her unwitting connection with a felon and her uneasy marital condition makes Grace the type of person who is pushed to the limits but clings to her composure with her very life’s breath. Ms. Gullabovska communicates a woman of substance and depth who still isn’t above taunting those who have made her life difficult. Grace is certainly not perfect but strives to be the best version of herself and in doing so, is one of the most believable characters in this film.
The universal appeal of this biting yet charming Australian comedy is evident with its status as an official selection of festivals across the planet including the Ireland International Film Festival, South Africa International Film Festival, Heart of England International Film Festival, and others.
The catalyst for the action and comedy of Death in the Afternoon is a corpse; specifically, James Cameron (not the famed director). Mr. Cameron’s friends and employees have gathered to pay their respects and to question the circumstances that led to his suicide. When these guests arrive and are informed that a federal investigation is underway about the recently departed using his business as a veneer for a Singaporean drug trade, their insecurities and anxieties begin to unravel the fabric of their relationships.
This occurs quite vividly in the marriage of Grace Adams (Suzanne Gullabovska) and her husband Mark Adams (Dave Grossman). Though they arrive at the funeral as grieving employee and dutiful wife, they degrade into insults and Mark’s open flirtation with other female guests. Though pushed by her husband’s actions to conduct herself at less than her best, Grace is mostly a woman of poise.
Conservative, refined, and social, she clings to her core values amidst the increasingly chaotic actions of those around her at the funeral. Suzanne Gullabovska’s interpretation of Grace’s commitment to her core values reminds us that there is comedy in pain. While you may not relate to the type of person Grace Adams is, Ms. Gullabovska has the ability to make you feel deeply for her situation, even while you laugh about it.
Perhaps the uneasiness for Grace Adams comes naturally to Suzanne who recalls another notable role as a beautiful woman effected by a funeral stating, “My first time on stage was playing the lead role of Portia in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, which was amazing. I was in my early teens and remember my parents arriving to my performance dressed up like they were attending the opening night of an opera. Most of the other parents were dressed in jeans.
Looking back, I loved that my parents honored their little girl’s stage performance by dressing up to the nines even though I was mortified at the time.” Though it’s not easy to admit, maybe we like seeing someone so attractive experiencing difficulty as it seems like most of their life is easier that our own…or maybe it’s that Suzanne Gullabovska is a remarkable actress. Truthfully, it’s both.
Writer: Coleman Haan