While watching The Dead, the viewer may initially forget the title because it feels more like a slice of life about family and friends on Christmas. Everyone knows their roles in the ritual. The Dead would not be out of place as a CBS Sunday night movie, but the tone abruptly shifts during a moment of transcendent epiphany: it will not always be the same. We are The Dead. There are some who no longer exist. Some who will soon depart and soon you will be gone. Who really knows the depth of feeling in someone’s heart? The Dead is an understated jewel that makes philosophy look easy. I have no idea if it is a proper adaptation of the short story, but The Dead works on its own.