Parents' Guide to

Table 19

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Strong cast, weak story in comedy with some racy bits.

Movie PG-13 2017 87 minutes
Table 19 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Bmaz28
Bmaz28 Adult
September 23, 2018
age 16+

Slightly underrated

I would give it a 3.5 if I could. When I see a movie with a score of 20% I think of a movie I walk away regretting that I even watched it, this movie wasnt that bad. I was looking for a rom com that wasnt so cheesy and predictable and this movie fit that. It didnt fit into the usual classic rom com box but it was comical, unpredictable, (albeit at times a bit heavy), but overrall had a satisfying rom-comy ending that I can deal with. Not everything the movie introduced actually had a pay off which can be a bit annoying but if youre looking for a rom com that is slightly different than most and you can handle a bit of awkward seriousness interspersed throughout you wont be disappointed and at least its not nearly as predictable as most movies these days. Just my personal opinion!
S N.
S N. Parent
December 12, 2017
age 14+

Good but definitely for over 14

Adult themes, strong language, drugs/alcohol, sex talk. good movie for anyone mature enough to enjoy though, has its funny parts.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Eloise (Anna Kendrick) is a guest at her oldest friend's wedding. But rather than being placed at a table filled with other longtime besties, she's been relegated to the farthest one: TABLE 19. It's a collection of people who, as one character describes it, ought to have had the sense to RSVP no. That includes Walter (Stephen Merchant), a relative who's transitioning out of prison by living in a halfway house of sorts and has forgotten how to relate to others not stuck inside; Jo (June Squibb), who helped raise the bride and her brother, Teddy (Wyatt Russell), but has long been removed from their daily lives; Bina (Lisa Kudrow) and Jerry (Craig Robinson), a married couple the bride's family knows through business and who can barely stand each other; and a teen acquaintance, Renzo (Tony Revolori), who's preoccupied with meeting a girl (or a woman) at the wedding and possibly seducing her. Eloise and Teddy have recently broken up, and now the wedding she helped plan is proceeding along nicely pretty much without her. Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend is paired up with the maid of honor, having seemingly moved on. There's also a handsome stranger named Huck (Thomas Cocquerel) who mysteriously arrives on the scene, possibly to sweep Eloise off her feet. But bigger problems loom, and then there's the fact that she's stuck with all these strangers -- but maybe they actually have more rapport than she expects?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

This comedy is gifted with an interesting (and in a few cases, brilliant) cast, but it's a disappointment -- the players are in dire need of a better script. Though there are flashes of ingenuity in Table 19 -- the very idea of making a film about people placed at the least desirable table at a wedding is one of them, as is a red-herring plot point about a new love that ends up resolving differently -- it doesn't deliver on its promise. The motley crew at the heart of the film doesn't quite gel (with the exception of Kudrow and Robinson, who have great chemistry and should do a movie or TV series on their own), and the reasons they've been deemed lowest-guests-on-the-wedding-totem-pole aren't all that compelling.

Plus, Table 19 tries too hard to be eccentric. Walter and Renzo specifically feel added on for no reason other than to be quirky. And the message about love and marriage feels vague at best. What is it trying to say? That love is messy? We already knew that. That couples sometimes don't seem like they fit? Again, not all that surprising. That weddings collect the most random list of guests? See: Four Weddings and a Funeral, which did this much better. Except for its premise and standout performances from Kendrick and Kudrow, Table 19 leaves viewers aching for a happily ever after.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Table 19 deals with sex and relationships. How is marriage depicted? Does it seem realistic? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values on these topics.

  • What role do drugs and drinking play in the movie? Are there consequences for substance use? Why does that matter?

  • One of the characters is a teen who seems very focused on how he can be cool and attract women. Is his portrayal so over the top that it's off-putting? What about the other characters?

  • Talk about Eloise and Teddy's break-up and what causes it. Is their conflict relatable? How is their relationship typical of, and different from, other movies in this genre?

Movie Details

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