LOVE, WEDDING, MARRIAGE

US, 2011, 90 minutes, Colour.
Mandy Moore, Kellan Lutz, James Brolin, Jane Seymour, Jessica Szohr, Michael Weston, Christopher Lloyd, Alexis Denisof, Alyson Hannigan, Colleen Camp.
Voice of: Julia Roberts.
Directed by Dermot Mulroney.

Love, Wedding, Marriage received terrible reviews. It is a romantic comedy – but, while trying to look at serious issues, comes across as a piece of romantic fluff, even trite. Some of the difficulties are in the writing, but also in the performances.

Mandy Moore is rather one-note as Ava, the central character, marrying her boyfriend Charlie, but concerned about her parents and their wanting to break up after thirty years. She spends most of the film interfering in their lives and trying to save the marriage. She irritates most of the characters – and probably many of the audience as well. Kellan Lutz is her husband, a beefcake kind of hero (the Twilight series, Arena). Veterans James Brolin and Jane Seymour are the parents. There is a cameo appearance by Christopher Lloyd as an eccentric therapist, Colleen Camp as an even more eccentric manager of therapeutic processes, and the voice of Julia Roberts (friend of Dermot Mulroney from My Best Friend’s Wedding) as the voice of Mandy Moore’s therapist.

There are some corny situations, some attempts at marriage counselling, a variety of high jinks, some romantic interludes – and a happy ending. However, while many audiences might enjoy the light touch, many more audiences will probably find the film somewhat irritating. The direction is by actor Dermot Mulroney.

1. The title? The way that it was distributed through the film? Expectations?

2. A family comedy, the cast? Marriage, marriage break-up, relationships, fidelity, reconciliation? The heart in the right place – but the light, even trite, treatment?

3. The affluent background, the families and their homes, the weddings? The therapy background? The musical score?

4. The focus on Ava, her relationship with Charlie, the wedding and the happiness, their commitment? The modelling of her parents? Her work as a therapist – the credibility of her studies, seeing her in action with couples? Her over-eager intervention in people’s lives? Shelby, her sister, acting as her secretary, interfering? Ava and the relationship with Charlie – and the revelation that he had been married before, the annulment, Las Vegas and his drinking, her harsh reaction? The shock of her parents breaking up? Her bond with her father? With her mother? Her father coming to live with her, the details of his being in the house, repairing things, going out with Charlie, drinking? Trying to organise meetings with her mother? The discussions with Shelby? The recommendation to Doctor George – human nature his death-experience therapy? Her own therapist? Her getting deeper into complications? Her having to face herself, her change of heart? Her mother’s trip, interfering again, yet success at the end? The reconciliation with Charlie?

5. Charlie, ordinary type, his job, the wines, love for Ava, the way she treated him, the friendship with Bradley? The friendship with Gerber? Gerber and his drinking, his girlfriend? Charlie on the town with Bradley, unable to control him? Fighting with Ava, the reconciliation?

6. Bradley and Betty, thirty years, the argument? The shock for the daughters? The nu of the marriage? The affair and the situation of the separation? Bradley and his being old-fashioned? Betty and her feeling repressed, wanting to be herself? The plan for travelling? Bradley and his never asking his wife how she felt? Bradley moving in, with Ava, helping around the house, going out on the town with Charlie and Gerber? Betty, her social life, her plans? Bradley and the pills, going to the hospital, her love for her husband, the reconciliation? The credibility of Bradley and Betty as real characters?

7. Gerber, his friendship, his flirtatious manner, at the wedding reception? His meeting Kasia, her lack of English? Love, marriage? Together? Out on the town with Bradley?

8. Doctor George, Christopher Lloyd and his eccentricities, his therapy, the reactions?

9. Ethel, her activities, her commands, surrender – and the family participating?

10. The background, friends, lifestyles? The credibility of the characters – illustrating the themes of love, wedding and marriage?