The 2002 ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' review noted its "near-miraculous balance between the silly and the morbid" and referred to it as "enjoyable and entertainingly cast" even though it was "unlikely to bury the competition".<ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.variety.com/review/VE1117919286?refcatid=31 |title=Plots With a View (U.K.) |first=Lisa |last=Nesselson |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=November 7, 2002 }}</ref> In 2005, the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' described it as succeeding in sustaining its "deliberate silliness" though it might work better for home viewing than in theatres, and described its cast as "first rate."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-undertaking11nov11,0,4863759.story |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318040007/http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-undertaking11nov11,0,4863759.story |archivedate=2006-03-18 |date=November 11, 2005 |title=''Undertaking Betty'' |first= Kevin |last=Crust |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> ''DVD Talk'' was less enthusiastic: "though kind of a mess, and not really all that funny, ''Undertaking Betty'' still feels barely recommendable, thanks to a colorful cast of true characters."<ref>{{cite web|title=Undertaking Betty |first=Scott |last=Weinberg | date=March 29, 2006 |publisher=DVDTalk.com |url=httphttps://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/20888/undertaking-betty/ }}</ref> ''Reel Film'' gave it 3 of 4 stars, and described it as "charming, low-key romantic comedy", and though there's "nothing especially groundbreaking or even memorable about ''Undertaking Betty,'' but the undeniably sweet vibe is ultimately quite difficult to resist."<ref>{{cite web|title=Buena Vista's March '06 Releases - Undertaking Betty (March 15/06) |publisher=ReelFilm.com| date=March 15, 2006 | url=http://www.reelfilm.com/bvmar06.htm#under}}</ref>
