steve dollar of the "new york sun" said, "the ensemble approach allows for a maximum of comic scenarios to be put into effect, as the film's motor revs into higher and higher gear. expert pacing and delivery, as well as the abundance of hyper-articulate, over-educated, effervescently british character types, ratchet up the cringe factor accordingly. the film's antic disposition, or rather its disposition toward antics, may strike some as an exercise in overkill, even though, curiously, the film disappointingly resolves all the comic trauma by letting everyone off the hook. moreover, a lot of the material, especially the closeted-gay jokes, seems dated. but for mr. oz, finger-snap pacing and an expert cast (surely familiar to any bbc america viewer) bring this "death" to giddy life."