(Photo courtesy by Barry Wetcher)Pitchforks: 4/5
Rated: R
Released: April 26, 2013
With an all-star cast and heavy doses of comic relief, “The Big Wedding” is an entertaining way to temporarily take a break from the woes of finals.
Innocent Missy (Amanda Seyfried) seems to have it all. She's got the handsome Harvard fiancé Alejandro (Ben Barnes), prim parents Barry (David Rasche) and Muffin (Christine Ebersole), and a wedding set in an idyllic location. The wedding is set to take place at Alejandro’s home, a charming quaint house situated by a lake.
Much to the dismay of Missy, unfortunate events continuously supersede what is considered to be a memorable life experience.
Alejandro’s adoptive parents Don (Robert De Niro) and Ellie (Diane Keaton) are in the midst of re-establishing a friendship after a divorce. Don is sexually ravenous for his girlfriend Bebe (Susan Sarandon) and unashamedly frisks Bebe in front of Ellie. Naturally, Bebe is Ellie’s former best friend.
Alejandro’s adoptive siblings also bear their own issues. Lyla (Katherine Heigl) is tormented by a recent breakup, the fact that she is infertile, and has a habit of fainting in the presence of babies. His 29-year-old brother Jared (Topher Grace) is desperate for a relationship and particularly eager to lose his virginity.
As time looms closer to the wedding date, the young couple is informed that Alejandro’s biological mother and sister will be arriving for the special occasion.
Panic instantly spreads between Missy and Alejandro’s adoptive family. His biological mother Madonna (Patricia Rae) has high expectations for her son, such as partaking in a strictly Catholic wedding.
Since divorce interferes with Madonna’s religious beliefs, Don and Ellie must pretend to be married again for the sake of the wedding. The attempts to culturally assimilate seem reminiscent of the popular “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”
The trouble begins to accumulate further when Alejandro’s sister Nuria (Ana Ayora), steps into the scene. The young lithe beauty is unaccustomed to America and displays a number of inappropriate behaviors. Nuria immodestly dips into the lake nude and boldly makes sexual advances on Jared during family outings.
While “The Big Wedding” suffers from the lack of originality that many romantic comedies face, a few brief elements keep the audience on their toes.
For instance, Robin Williams has an unlikely role as Father Moinighan, who is to conduct the wedding ceremony for Missy and Alejandro. In addition, Robert De Niro’s character quickly reveals that he does not possess a verbal filter and, in turn, damages his relationships with multiple characters.
Overall, the romantic comedy is a highly amusing film that members of diverse audiences can enjoy.
Reach the reporter at lrogoff@asu.edu
