THE BIG WEDDING

With Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Katherine Heigl, Susan Sarandon, Topher Grace, Amanda Seyfried, Robin Williams

Written by Justin Zackham (based on the movie "Mon frère se marie" by Jean-Stéphane Bron Karine Sudan

Directed by Justin Zackham

Based on a French film, this star studded light comedy is not reinventing the genre by a long stretch, but is enjoyable enough to pass 90 minutes or so.
A patriarch (De Niro) and his long time girlfriend (Sarandon) host the wedding of his and the ex wife's (Keaton) adopted son, but things go pear shaped. The son's biological Hispanic mother and his sister travel to the US for the ceremony, but she's strictly religious, forcing the exes to pretend they're still married (the disgruntled girlfriend relocating to a hotel, but still catering the event). The idyllic lakeside home setting also has their son and daughter visiting, both with their own problems (she's split with her guy and pregnant, and he's still a virgin, naturally falling for his adopted brother's sister). And then there are the various infidelities coming to the fore...

Yes, I did find this all a very ridiculous premise with forced situations as a result of trying to skirt around one woman's moral convictions (but she gave up her baby boy?!), but this is just the impetus for everyone's hang-ups and secrets. And yes, another wedding movie with Heigl!. Unfortunately Williams' small role as the priest is not enough to boost this beyond a mediocre comedy of a very passable nature.

2 / C
- Paul Blom

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
- A - B - C

A: Multiple Viewing Potential
B: Deserves Another Look
C: Once Should Suffice