Bury Me When I’m Dead (2025) Movie Review: Fails to Achieve the Intended Gravitas

Under the garb of a thriller, writer-director Seabold Krebs’ feature debut, “Bury Me When I’m Dead” (2025), aims for a profound exploration of grief and regret. However, despite its noble intentions, the film’s generic plot-driven story thwarts its effort to become something more than a genre film. It tests Krebs’ skill, and unfortunately, “Bury Me When I’m Dead” dwindles. The slow and meditative pace comes across as a vapid stylistic choice, not a conducive environment to pull the audience into an examination of the characters’ psyches. As a result, the intended cinematic dignity remains out of reach.

The film starts well, with an intriguing premise. Henry (Devon Terrell) and Catherine (Charlotte Hope) seem to be a happily married couple. They run a cutesy flower shop together. However, their lovey-dovey world is wrecked by the hardest curveball life can throw at you. Cancer. Catherine is diagnosed and said to have only a few weeks to live. Knowing fully well what it means, she decides not to get treatment. Like a lot of characters in movies where cancer plays a major role, Catherine decides to forgo treatment in favor of living by her own terms, even if it is for a short while. Although I said ‘living,’ she primarily wanted to die on her terms.

Catherine expresses her desire for a natural burial. With seeds inserted inside her dead body, she hopes to become the soil for a tree. Unable to become a mother in life, she plans to become one after her death. Henry promises to fulfil her last wish. However, Catherine’s ultra-rich father, who is a politician, threatens Henry. He wants a Christian burial for his daughter. With the threats in mind, Henry proceeds to Catherine’s farmhouse to live out Catherine’s final few days with her. From the moment the news broke, it was evident that Henry was not as wrecked as expected. The reason becomes clear when they start to live in the farmhouse.

Henry was cheating on Catherine before her diagnosis. Henry has been seeing Rebecca (Makenzie Leigh), who works at the flower shop, before coming to the remote farmhouse. Catherine has known it for a while. Understandably, Henry’s guilt has overcome his sadness. Krebs’ screenplay plays with Henry’s emotions. The placid vacuum Henry’s demeanor reflects is concerningly off-putting, to say the least. Understandably, as the film progresses, we find causes for Henry’s numbness. However, his initial muted response does not capture the progress well.

Bury Me When I’m Dead (2025) — A still from “Bury Me When I’m Dead” (2025)

Having said that, “Bury Me When I’m Dead” is not devoid of praiseworthy elements. Krebs’ experimentation does not fall flat in its entirety. The blend of psychological paranoia and plot-driven scheming is not a rousing success. However, it is not without its merits. For instance, Henry’s surname is Samsa. A nod towards Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis,” perhaps. Certainly, after Catherine’s funeral, Henry’s life does take a Gregor Samsa-like turn. It is not as life-upending as becoming an insect, but it is not a smooth ride either. The film maintains its grip despite a slow pace that does not complement the story.

One of the better aspects of the film is its dialogue. Krebs has a knack for sharply organic sentences that suit their characters well. One of the best moments in the film is when a supporting character named Buck (superbly acted by Mike Houston) goes on a rant about life in general. “Bury Me” also has an ending that accentuates the eerie essence of fate that the film was going for. Only if the film did not channel the fatigued energy of a film lost under its weight.

Coming to the performances, as mentioned earlier, Mike Houston’s performance is one of the finer aspects of the film. Houston’s earnestly eccentric turn breathes life into that small role, which in turn, elevates most of the scenes he is involved in. The ever-so-slight infusion of dark humor comes from his end, and the film seems to be in dire need of those moments, as the lead, Devon Terrell’s Henry, appeared to be ill-fitted. Perhaps not entirely Terrell’s fault, Henry seems to drag the film down, which was already dragging. Makenzie Leigh and Charlotte Hope were quite good, especially Hope. Her physical performance as the dying Catherine resonates particularly well.