Day 189 - Four Weddings and a Funeral

Day 189          Four Weddings and a Funeral [1994]

                          

Screenplay                    Richard Curtis

Director                         Mike Newell

Cinematography            Michael Coulter

Music                            Richard Rodney Bennett

Leads                            Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow, James Fleet, John Hannah, Charlotte Coleman, Rowan Atkinson, David Bower, David Haig, Anna Chancellor

Production                     PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Channel Four Films, Working Title Films

IMDb                                7.1/10

Rotten Tomatoes                95%

The truest to real life upper-class British film ever made? It’s got to be up there alongside Withnail and I and Notting Hill surely. Hugh Grant defined the role of bumbling bachelor to such an extent that only he can ever play that role successfully. Colin Firth can fulfil the role once in a while, but Grant only really has said role in his locker, so we’ll call it his. For those of you under twenty-five, this film follows Charles, a terribly nice but socially awkward man, and his group of friends as they bound around the UK attending their friends’ weddings and an unfortunate funeral. Charles falls for an American girl, Carrie, at the first wedding and keeps bumping into her at each occasion. The film is not so much about the plot but more about the wonderful characters and the intrinsic British-ness of the whole thing. Sadly, I feel Hugh Grant is what all Americans think about when they meet a well-spoken Englishman, and Sir Michael Caine (or more recently and to my disappointment Russell Brand) when they meet a Londoner. Unfortunately, most of us lack a young Grant’s ability to look fantastic and charming whatever we happen to be wearing. If anyone can pull off an oversized yellow shirt with half of the buttons undone, short shorts and socks with suede desert shoes – it’s Grant. The major thing I like about this film is the friendship. One feels as if they are part of this group of singletons, forever attending the weddings of others, never their own. In a way it is reminiscent of youth. Forever attending parties full of beautiful, social people and yet always ending up in the corner with the friend you came with, crowd-watching and laughing at those who aren’t lucky enough to be in your little group. What further strengthens this is the fact no-one ever talks about what they do. It makes sense as they are all friends and wouldn’t be talking about work at a wedding, but it does stop the characters being pigeon-holed. The way we meet all the characters is essentially what it feels like to meet people at a wedding. We see them shot from across a crowded room, we see repeating characters momentarily, we see them advance as we advance. It’s one of my mum’s favourite films, one of mine too and, personally, I cannot wait for wedding season.

Acting                             4 / 4

Writing                            4 / 4

Cinematography              3 / 4

Music                              2 / 4

HWF rating                 4 / 4