Star bonanza

The Big Wedding (2013)
Certified: 14
Duration: 89 minutes
Director: Justin Zackham
Starring: Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Ben Barnes, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Christine Ebersole
KRS release

The Big Wedding is the story of Don (Robert De Niro) and Ellie (Diane Keaton), a long-time divorced couple who have to meet again as their adopted son Alejandro (Ben Barnes) is getting married to Missy (Amanda Seyfried).

The film aims for a balancing act between romanticism and slapstick humour

Muffin and Barry (Christine Ebersole and David Rasche) are not happy that their daughter is marrying someone of Alejandro’s genetic traits.

But Alejandro’s sister and brother, Lyla and Jared (Katherine Heigl and Topher Grace), are happy about this union. Also happy for him is Bebe (Susan Sarandon), Don’s girlfriend.

Trouble is on the horizon when Alejandro’s biological family joins in for the wedding.

His sister Nuria (Ana Ayora) is fine with all this mix and match, but his mother Madonna (Patricia Rae) is very religious and does not accept divorce.

So his adopted family decide to pretend that Don and Ellie are still married which will cause all manner of trouble.

Meanwhile, Fr Monighan (Robin Williams) wants to finish off the ceremony and get the couple wed ASAP.

The wedding in question is simply a plot mechanism to bring together big star names in this over-the-top and mix-of-styles comedy. However, the resulting romantic comedy hits all the right poses and will leave fans of the genre sated.

The film is actually an adaptation of a 2006 French/Swiss hit film Mon frère se marie (My Brother is Getting Married). What is decidedly fun is watching the shenanigans that the likes of De Niro, Sarandon and Keaton get up to. They seem to have more life in them than the rest of the younger cast.

The film follows many different story arcs associated with each character. However, the screenplay’s priorities are clear and even the happy couple-to-be does not have the same spotlight as the older and more seasoned members of the cast.

The film aims for a balancing act between romanticism and slapstick humour, with the latter winning out in the end.

Grace is hilarious and it’s a pity he does not have more screen time. De Niro and Keaton are in well-oiled synchrony while Sarandon seems to be genuinely having fun.

As usual Keaton goes all neurotic as if she were still acting in a Woody Allen movie, but it is De Niro who stands out the most. Heigl is saddled with an unsympathetic character while Williams has a small role.

Director Justin Zackham, who had written The Bucket List (2007), has roped in quite a large and weighty cast.

The feel that he goes for and gets is that of a sitcom which is all cosy with its characters and setting, and thus gets the chuckles but not uproarious laughter.

The film will keep the peace with the romantic comedy crowd.

But for me, The Big Wedding is more about how the whole concept of family, and its needs and structure, are changing.