Going to the chapel and
we’re gonna get married
I’ve had weddings on my mind lately. I’m at the age now where my
friends are dropping like flies, er, um, I mean getting engaged, by
the dozens. With two weddings on fast approach, not to mention a
parade of pre-wedding activities, I’ve noticed the life-altering
event seems to crop up in movies quite a lot, too.
Going to the chapel and
we’re gonna get married
I’ve had weddings on my mind lately. I’m at the age now where my friends are dropping like flies, er, um, I mean getting engaged, by the dozens. With two weddings on fast approach, not to mention a parade of pre-wedding activities, I’ve noticed the life-altering event seems to crop up in movies quite a lot, too.
In fact there are so many, weddings should be a movie genre of their own. They could fill their own set of shelves at local movie stores and have their own link on Netflix. If there were a wedding genre, the sub-genres would be plentiful. Here are my top picks, good and bad, for the new movie categories, and some life lessons that can be learned.
The-desperate-for-a-date-before-the-big-day genre
This is one to which I can relate. As the weeks tick down to the RSVP dates, I find myself squirming over who to invite to the June and July festivities. The problem, you see, is that I haven’t had a steady boyfriend since the ’90s. While I am generally content to be single, these impending weddings having me squirming to find a partner to show I am not a total loser. And such is the theme of these movies.
See Jane Date – Jane (Charisma Carpenter) is a successful 30-something who desperately wants to find a date for her cousin’s wedding. She allows her friends to set her up on blind date after blind date in order to find Mr. Right before the big day. It’s an ABC Family movie, so expect cheesy. Comedy, PG.
The Wedding Date – Kat (Debra Messing) hires a male escort (Dermot Mulroney) to accompany her to her sister’s wedding. Her anxiety comes from facing an ex-fiance at the gathering. Billed as a comedy, this film is all drama as basket-case Kat tries to overcome hurt feelings from her last relationship. Drama, PG-13.
Moral: You’ll find love at the wedding if you just suck it up and go alone, or hire a male prostitute to be your date.
The-sorry-my-family-is-nuts genre
A common theme in wedding movies seems to be the disapproving/embarrassing family who sets out to ruin the union. This I can also relate to as I dread the day when I need to introduce a serious boyfriend to my extended family – maybe that’s why I’m still single.
Father of the Bride – Whether you watch the 1950 version or the Steve Martin remake from 1991, the movie tells the classic tale of a dad who isn’t quite ready to let his little girl go. Comedy, PG.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding – Nia Vardalos stars in this film about a single Greek woman who has the misfortune of falling in love with a non-Greek guy played by John Corbett – the misfortune being that her family nearly disowns her leading up to the wedding. Comedy, PG.
The Wedding Banquet – In this English/Chinese film, Wei Tong (Winston Chao) has been in a serious relationship for years, but when his parents decide to visit from Taiwan to throw him a wedding banquet his life is thrown for a loop.
He engages a woman to play his wife to keep his parents from discovering his true love is a man. Drama, R.
Moral: In the end, the parents always change their mind, especially when grandchildren are involved.
The almost-married-the-wrong-person genre
Of the wedding-themed movies I’ve seen, this is the most popular theme. Girl/Guy meets Guy/Girl and thinks they’re hot until along comes Guy/Girl’s girlfriend/boyfriend. And therein lays the dilemma.
Four Weddings and a Funeral – This is the epitome of the genre as Charles (Hugh Grant) and Carrie (Andie MacDowell) run into each other over the years at various weddings. While they feel an attraction for each other, there is one hitch – one or the other is always dating someone else when they meet. Comedy, R.
The Wedding Singer – Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore star in this comedy about a, what else, wedding singer who falls for a catering waitress at a wedding. He soon discovers she has a jerk of a boyfriend and settles for being her friend while wanting more. Comedy, PG-13.
The Wedding Planner – Jennifer Lopez stars as a wedding planner who has put her own personal life on hold for the good of others. When she meets her latest client, she finds herself falling for the groom (Matthew McConaughey). The cheesy romance stuff is worth it for a couple funny scenes, including one involving a statue of David. Comedy, PG-13.
Moral: Just make sure you’re not the jerk, because things always work out for the nice guys/girls.
The-impossible-to-categorize genre
And then there are the wedding movies that just don’t fit any sort of mold.
Corpse Bride – Made in Tim Burton’s classic animation style, the main character Victor is a young man who has some misgivings about his impending marriage. Somehow he finds himself engaged to the Corpse Bride, a haunting young woman who died in her prime. Animation, PG.
Muriel’s Wedding – In this offbeat Australian film, Muriel is a lonely single girl who listens to ABBA and dreams about marriage. She has a chance to make her dreams come true when a hunky, tan South African swimmer requires a wife to get Australian citizenship. Comedy, R.
So I Married an Ax Murderer – Charlie (Mike Myers) meets the perfect woman (Nancy Travis) and the two are quickly married. But soon after the wedding, Charlie seems to wonder if his new bride might be an infamous murderer at large. Comedy, PG-13.
Moral: Stick it out for the right person and don’t marry the first swimmer/corpse to come along, and don’t marry ax murderers.
