THE GROOMSMEN
US, 2005, 98 minutes, Colour.
Edward Burns, John Leguizamo, Matthew Lillard, Donal Logue, Jay Mohr, Brittany Murphy, Heather Burns, Jessica Capshaw.
Directed by Edward Burns.
The Groomsmen was written and directed by Edward Burns who also stars in a central role. Burns has had many good roles as an actor but came to the fore with his 1995 film The Brothers Mc Mullen. It was a heartfelt story, set on Long Island, amongst people that Burns had grown up with and knew well. His background, as well as the backgrounds of his characters, was a blend of Irish and Italian Americans. He continued these themes with quite a number of films, especially in his follow-up film She’s The One and, 10 years later, The Groomsmen.
The film sounds as if it is one of those raucous comedies, with a group of men getting together, letting off steam, sex-preoccupied. While there are some touches of this, it is a far more serious film, Burns writing some very good lines for a strong cast, showing a group of friends coming together in preparation for a wedding, the clashes, then bonding.
The film boasts some very strong performances, especially from Donal Logue as Burns’ older brother, who has some resentments, but who is preoccupied by the fact that he is infertile and that his wife wants children, with his being afraid to tell her the truth. There is also an unexpectedly good performance from Matthew Lillard, who can do all kinds of silly roles from Scream films to Scooby Doo. But here, he is the most sensible of the group, a married man with children and a sense of responsibility. Jay Mohr who is also good at clowning in many films plays the 35-year-old has not grown up, who can’t understand why his former girlfriend does not want to see him any more, and still lives with his genial and protective father. John Leguizamo also has a good role as the friend who has been absent for eight years but who returns for the wedding, revealing his secret, that he is gay, rejected by his father and feeling that his friends would not understand – but, they do.
Brittany Murphy is the fiancee of Paul, Edward Burns himself in a rather more subdued role.
There is a lot of realism in this presentation of men in their mid-30s, American men with their presuppositions about what it is to be a man, the sometimes infantile behaviour, yet the strong bonds that can be built on. Burns is always sympathetic to the women characters, to Paul’s fiancee, her moods, and wondering whether it was simply the pregnancy that forced them into marriage, with Heather Burns as the older brother’s wife.
1. The title, the group, friends, clashes? the wedding focus?
2. The Long Island setting, the community, homes, bars, going fishing, the strip joint, the church for the wedding? The musical score?
3. Edward Burns and his films, personal, writing and directing, performance? Characters and dialogue?
4. Situation, the engagement, the pregnancy, the couple living together, planning the wedding? The effect of the pregnancy and the decision about marrying? The preparation? Friends, visits?
5. Paul’s story, the younger brother, Jimbo and their growing up, the older brother protecting? His friends? Relationships? The story of his meeting Sue, the relationship? His accepting the pregnancy – or not? His outings with his friends? At home with Sue? Love, tension, her moods, his not being verbal? Dez and his common sense? TC and his visit, Paul being aware of his homosexuality? Mike as his cousin, talking, slow on the uptake, drinking, coping with his stances against TC? Going fishing with Jimbo, their talk, tensions about the wedding, the softball game and the fight with Jimbo, talking with Sue, the issue of flowers and his making breakfast?
6. Jimbo as the older brother, seeing his role with Paul? Jimbo marrying, love for his wife, yet arguing? Going fishing, questioning whether he be one of the groomsmen or not? At home, discussions with his wife, arguments? Going to the strip joint, with Crystal, TC coming to rescue him, the discussions, the arguments, TC and his persuasion, getting Mike to help, going to Mike’s father’s house? Sobering up? Talking with Paul and the truth about his not being fertile, his wife wanting children, the effect on him? The softball fight? Accepting the truth, explaining to his wife, her loving response? The issue of adoption, Paul and his explanation of true parenting in love?
7. Mike, 35, his age, the break with Jenny, visiting her house, almost stalking, his obtuse non-acceptance, her brother punching him? The drinking, talking with his friends? TC arriving, his animosity, the issue of the important baseball card, the fight in the bar, his learning the truth, the reconciliation, learning why TC took that card? His work in cleaning grounds? Living at home? Dependent on his father, his father supporting him?
8. TC, leaving, away for years, his homosexuality? The clash with Mike, arrival, the clashes in the bar, the fight, the apology, the reconciliation? Telling Mike the truth? His friendship with Jimbo, going to the club, helping him, his father’s reaction in the past, going to visit his father, his father embracing him?
9. Dez, managing the bar, the memories of the band, trying to organise the band, their practices? A man of commonsense, marrying young, his love for his boys, normal household, his support of life, helping? The band rehearsals? His understanding TC?
10. The resolution, the wedding, playing out against the credits, the details of the wedding? A film of human values, in ordinary men and women, a film especially for men, American men and their stances and attitudes, understanding these? And a film of hope?
