The Wedding Year
By Tara McNamara,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Casual sex, pot, heavy drinking in romcom with teen appeal.
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The Wedding Year
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What's the Story?
In THE WEDDING YEAR, 27-year-old Maya Baylor (Sarah Hyland) dreams of a career as a photographer but instead works in a boutique. When she falls for Jake (Tyler James Williams), her fear of relationships seems to slide away. But when the two embark on a year of attending seven weddings, her commitment issues return.
Is It Any Good?
Director Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde) returns to the romantic comedy genre with a modern-day story made for a younger generation. Is it formulaic? Absolutely -- but surprisingly, that feels good. Streaming services have wisely figured out that the romcom isn't dead, it just needed a vacation, and younger viewers have been eating up films like The Kissing Booth, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and Always Be My Maybe. Luketic is ready to join the fray. The Wedding Year uses the standard setup (flawed girl meets awesome boy, loses boy, regains boy -- along with some personal growth) and then taps into a Nickelodeon/Disney Channel TV movie vibe. To high schoolers, it's the emotional equivalent of a bowl of warm Kraft mac and cheese.
That said, as much as teens are likely to enjoy The Wedding Year, parents could be left cringing. Maya uses Tinder for casual hookups, gets drunk for sexual foreplay, tells off a potential employer as they're making a job offer, and vapes THC as a way of life. And Gen Z-fave Hyland is so likable that her portrayal could be seen as an endorsement of this iffy behavior. The film is fun, and teens will love Hyland's messy character, but, parents: It'll be up to you to do clean up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Maya's casual attitude about sex. Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
How are drinking and drug use portrayed in The Wedding Year? Is substance abuse shown in a positive or negative light? Even in the negative examples, do you think it's still glamorized?
Romantic comedies are sometimes accused of creating unrealistic expectations of romance for women. Do you think this film does that? Do you think it teaches the audience a lesson about dating and marriage?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 20, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: November 6, 2019
- Cast: Sarah Hyland , Tyler James Williams , Matt Shively
- Director: Robert Luketic
- Inclusion Information: Black actors
- Studio: Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Cooking and Baking , Brothers and Sisters , Friendship
- Run time: 90 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language, some sexual content and drug/alcohol use
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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