Netflix released ‘Mother of the Bride’, which combines the best of recent romantic comedies in a single package. Although the stories are cheaply written and well organized, the flip side highlights beauty and grandeur. While “Mean Girls” director Mark Waters’ latest film fails to add anything special to the conversation, it modestly delivers when it comes to the delightfully sweet message of never giving up on happiness. Within seconds of his surprise proposal, Emma (Miranda Cosgrove) sends her boyfriend, RJ (Sean Teale), to his widowed mother, Dr. Lana Winslow (Brooke Shields), you don’t know. Her only child has a consistent beauty. Cue the crazy, sweet score. Mom’s busy saving the world, donating money, and researching genetic diseases in San Francisco, but Emma plans to make up for lost time when she returns home from college in London. A surprise awaits Lana. Not only does her daughter have a future husband, she also has a new career as a professional entrepreneur. And Emma’s first appearance as a brand ambassador for a luxury restaurant in Thailand is her own wedding. Struggling with aging parents and at a loss for words to deal with her marital problems, Lana boards a plane to Phuket to meet the mysterious Emma and reunite with her evil sister Janice (Rachael Harris). But the hijinks begin when guests like Lana’s married friends Clay (Michael McDonald) and Scott (Wilson Cruz) and the love of Lana’s life, rich, handsome Will (Benjamin Bratt), unexpectedly start leaving her. for. Will is RJ’s only father in, and of course, he still has feelings for Lana. The duo is not only insecure but also participates in a love game for children, competing for positions of power in their busy schedules and giving them expensive gifts. Time is everything, and for these two to receive the best gift of all, they need to learn to forgive themselves for the past.
There’s a quality paint-by-numbers film that never fails. While there are cleverly created moments that add interest, especially the set moments involving cardiologist Lucas (Chad Michael Murray), the planned, calculated scenes lead to a plateau in the film’s energy. We know what will happen and when it will happen. Worse, the dramatic shifts in conflict and crisis (like the adults’ deep dive
and Emma’s extreme anger, and RJ’s punches, to great effect) can’t even save themselves during the sprint time. They address the issue at the beginning; So much so that a choreographed dance scene is added to the end credits to further enhance the action.
The relationship between partners in mother of the bride is not one bit complicated but offers varying levels of stability and speed. The audience rarely feels the pull of their emotions or the weight of their decisions. The inclusion of gay couples is acceptable, but the filmmakers rarely work with couples and mostly use Clay and Scott instead of renewing Lana’s story.
The water was spoiled due to carelessness in previous projects. There’s no emotion attached to a stellar performance like Regina George’s betrayal of Cady in “Mean Girls” or a curse between mother and daughter in “Freaky Friday.” Few movie moments match the swelling heart in “Like Heaven” or the revealing red dress in “Everything.” The closest we get to anything worthwhile is a sunset dance performed as a passing tour between exes and the multitude of drones in the resort’s vast resorts. Perhaps the combination of powerful, sometimes sultry sound with bright visuals could inspire the device to match, but this is not so.
mother of the bride, what a great movie !
But there is a basic set of algorithms that will help tick the box. Emma shares her mother’s sympathy, and it’s refreshing to see this reflected in Robin Bernheim Burger’s writing and Cosgrove’s lackluster performance, she thought. Janice’s double entendre (which Harris anoints with ostentatious aplomb) is hilarious, especially since she never kisses him, let alone the person he’s fucking.
Shields and Bratt have a chemistry and easy camaraderie evident in their stolen faces, but overall, their relationship makes up for a lack of passion and warmth. It’s fun to see them flex their muscles and add the physical comedy (with repetitive chatter) expected of the genre because it helps us endear ourselves to this adorable couple. But the film’s sweetness is needlessly diminished by its heartbreaking sentiments about the addictive social media culture you love and the search for a second chance at true love. While this may mean over-explaining the purpose or delivering forgettable, limiting content, it ensures we don’t offend anyone with delicate sensibilities. And while a gentle, gentle touch would be welcome this tax season, our
journey with these sweet but underdeveloped characters leaves a lot to be desired.