 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Wedding Weekend
- Review Date: April 28, 2007
- NR
- Genre: Comedy
- 2007
Common Sense Media says
Indie buddy comedy hits too many wrong notes.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this indie comedy (released in theaters with the title Sing Now or Forever Hold Your Peace) tackles adult subjects -- namely sex and marriage. For the most part, it does so with humor (or at least an admirable attempt at humor). But it's also quite explicit, with many references that may be confusing, crude, or way too weird for younger teens. There's a fair amount of "locker room" talk, as well as drinking and smoking (both cigarettes and pot).
What's the story?
Shepherded to Montauk for the wedding of their good friend Greg (Mark Feuerstein), married-but-aimless David (David Harbour), tightly-wound banker Ted (Alexander Chaplin), crunchy-granola existentialist Spooner (Chris Bowers), is-he-gay Will (Samrat Chakrabarti), recently divorced lawyer Richard (Reg Rogers), and blissfully unquestioning reality-TV producer Steven (David Alan Basche) gather for one special performance of their old a capella group. As the wedding day nears, the guys complain endlessly about not getting enough sex and obsess over Steven's sexy Swedish nanny, Elsa (Camilla Thorsson). The pals also recall the glory years of college, when life was rife with possibility and adventure. So what's their beef? David's wife, Dana (Rosemarie DeWitt), wants a baby, which makes him feel like his life is over. Ted can't stand his hostile wife, Trish (Molly Shannon; Richard's marriage just imploded after he cheated on his wife; and nearly everybody else is down on life, too.
Is it any good?
The Big Chill, Diner, American Graffiti -- those were memorable buddy movies. WEDDING WEEKEND, unfortunately, isn't. Which isn't to say that it's hopeless. In fact, some scenes are surprisingly funny and poignant. And the singing's not half-bad.
While writer/director/producer Bruce Leddy shows some talent for dialogue, he reveals a tin ear for originality. We've seen a lot of this material before, and with far less sexism involved. When Leddy has an opportunity to dig into some meaty material, he goes for the quick laugh instead. What saves Wedding Weekend from utter mediocrity is the affinity among the actors. The men exude an easy rapport that sometimes eludes even the best movies. But that alone does not a good movie make -- this one's simply fair.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how the media (particularly movies and TV shows) depicts married life. What assumptions are made? Why does marriage often come across as another version of hell? Is one gender's take balanced by the other's? Are both genders depicted equally? If not, why? Can you think of any movies or shows that present marriage positively? Are they less entertaining than those that take a negative spin? Why or why not?
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| Studio: | Bruce Leddy Independent Productions |
| Director: | Bruce Leddy |
| Cast: | Alexander Chaplin, David Harbour, Mark Feuerstein |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 94 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 27, 2007 |
| DVD release date: | May 5, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
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