‘Over Your Dead Body’ Director Jorma Taccone Explains “Sink or Swim” Ending

Warning: Spoilers below for Over Your Dead BodyOver Your Dead Body is a bloody, pulsating thrill ride that has a lot to say about the ups and downs of marriage. The movie centers on Dan and Lisa, a couple whose relationship is hanging by a thread when they decide to go to a remote cabin with the goal of reconnecting. Unbeknownst to them, they’re both planning on killing the other. Things take a turn when they receive unexpected guests that put a dent in their macabre plans, and a flurry of madcap hijinks and shenanigans ensue.

Over Your Dead Body is a remake of the Norwegian romp The Trip, which came out in 2021 to fantastic reviews. It stars Jason Segel (Shrinking) and Samara Weaving (Ready or Not), with Paul Guilfoyle, Keith Jardine, Timothy Olyphant, and Juliette Lewis rounding out the ensemble. The film was directed by Jorma Taccone, who rose to fame as part of the SNL video sketch group The Lonely Island. He’s since gone on to direct the films MacGruber and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.

In an exclusive interview with MovieWeb, he spoke about the movie’s heartwarming ending where Lisa pulls Dan up from the water, and what it says about modern relationships:

“That’s one of the things I absolutely loved about the original film. This is Tommy [Wirkola]’s film called ‘The Trip,’ or originally it was called ‘In Bad Days.’ And I love that image, which is in the original film, of like, you’re beat to sh*t. You’re broken down to your lowest element, and you build yourself back up. You decide whether you want to do this, which is a daily decision if you’re going to be in a relationship. As anyone who’s been in a relationship knows, it’s f*cking work, and, like, to have them in — you’re in the same boat, floating alone in an ocean of troubles, and are you gonna sink or swim?

“And I love that metaphor. I mean, it’s a fun, big, crazy movie that goes all these places, but at its core, it’s that. That’s what makes it so arresting, especially when it is funny, and it is horrifying, and it is gory, and then to have those moments of real human drama and understanding. It sneaks up on you in the best way possible.”

The film has earned positive reviews so far, with a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. Though it doesn’t rival the original’s 83%, the critical consensus maintains that Over Your Dead Body “blends tense thrills and playful twists into a satisfying, if occasionally conventional, ride,” adding that it does so with “Hitchcockian flair, inventive gore, and electric performances.”

MovieWeb‘s Julian Roman explained that the remake “broadcasts its intentions with a megaphone, and you can see exactly where it’s going. That may disappoint some audiences, but there’s no denying it’s a fun ride with a fantastic cast.”

The new movie marks a slightly darker outing for comedy star Segel, but is only the latest of very many of Weaving’s genre efforts. Just earlier this year, she starred in Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, but has also recently been seen in Eenie Meanie, Borderline, and two The Babysitter movies for Netflix.