CONFETTI

UK, 2006, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jimmy Carr, Olivia Coleman, Ron Cook, Sarah Hadland, Mark Heap, Meredith Mac Neill, Stephen Mangan, Felicity Montagu, Jessica Stevenson, Alison Stedman, Jason Watkins, Robert Webb, Marc Wootton.
Directed by Debbie Isitt.

Writer-director, Debbie Isitt had a brainwave some years ago as she watched all the preparations for her sister’s wedding and was somewhat overawed by all the work, all the ideas and creativity, all the planning (and all the money). It has all crystallised (with the help of TV reality shows) into this engaging comedy-spoof.

What if a glossy magazine, dedicated to the glamour and fashion of weddings, called Confetti, were to host a competition: hold auditions for three offbeat proposals (and in the quick audition collage some of them are decidedly offbeat) and choose just three couples. The prize is to be a dream house.

Already there is parody in the discussions of the manager and the editor and their quest. They decide on a tennis couple, a naturist couple and a singing and dancing couple.

We are given the timeline for the weddings and the various ‘weeks to go’ to the big day.

First of all there are the camp wedding planners who swoosh and whoosh about, laughing sometimes, crying at others, who suggest menus, choreography, fashions that sometimes set the imagination agog.

The couples. The tennis two are very hard to like. She is a whining Canadian who is subjected to a terrible nose job to make her photogenic, but finishes more like Pinocchio. He is coming to the end of his professional career and is highly insecure with a nasty streak and not too good with competitors. What could their wedding look like, you might ask. It is an amusingly choreographed Wimbledon imitation.

The naturists. Well, there’s trouble (and some potential trouble for American classifications which are usually troubled by the human body and its exposure). Lots of old jokes about nudity and embarrassment. This couple are much more congenial. She feels a bit awkward. He has been a naturist all his life and wonders what the bother is about. An Adam and Eve theme comes to the rescue.

Singing and dancing. The only trouble is that she sings off key. She also has an interfering mother, a dominating sister and an absent father who turns up on the wedding day. This is the really likeable couple and, despite nervousness, they step up to a Busby Berkely set and an Astaire-Rogers? style performance.

Who wins?

The actors were asked to improvise their characters and many of the interactions were spontaneous and unexpected.

We are all invited to be a touch voyeuristic as we pore over glossy magazines, um and aw at the photos of celebrities. The film also sends up this human trait in ourselves – while indulging in it!

1.The appeal of the comedy? The serious undertones? The spoof? For British audience? Worldwide? The British sense of humour?

2.The issues of marriages, weddings? Marriages versus weddings? The popularity of weddings, the celebration, fashions, food, spectacle?

3.The introduction to Confetti magazine, the parody, real magazines which focus on women’s issues, weddings etc? The personnel, the manager Antoni, Vivienne the editor?

4.The style of the film: the actors going into rehearsal, the improvising of their speeches during filming? Reality TV style? The importance of the editing, intercutting the stories, the rhythms of the film, each couple getting attention, building up to the climax? The use of the competition for motivations, planning, rehearsals, the event itself?

5.The importance of colour, colours? Fashion (and not)? Song and dance, audience enjoyment?

6.The parody, the funny sequences, the serious undertones? The serious motivation of some of the couples? Insight into people preparing for weddings? Insight into audience feelings about celebration of weddings?

7.Antoni and his being interviewed, explaining the idea, Vivienne being deputised to run the competition? Her personality? The sales for the magazine, Antoni and his disdain? The humour of the auditions, Antoni and Vivienne with the different couples, Antoni and the sexual encounter with Sam’s sister in the lift? The judging, the insults and Antoni fending them off?

8.Vivienne, her perspective, the auditions, her choices, the various problems, dealing with the wedding planners, the naturists, the lawyer and the discussion about wearing clothes, her continued anxiety, her fidgety manner, prim and proper, her enjoyment of the event?

9.The range of auditions, the humour, the bizarre choices for weddings? And why?

10.The tennis couple: in themselves, their careers, their love for tennis, Isobel coming from Canada, Josef and his bad temper, the tennis coach and his feeling there was a conspiracy, his annoyance with him? Their playing tennis, the idea for the wedding, the planning, Josef’s anger at Sam’s makeover and his demanding one for Isobel at the dinner? His insecurities? Desperate to win? His interviews, the comments about the nose job, the plastic surgeon and his criticisms of Isobel’s nose? Her having the operation, its being elongated, the parody of plastic surgery? The continuing jealousy, wanting a choreographer? The wedding, the style, the ball-boys, the big balls, Josef and his protest at the competition being rigged?

11.The naturists, seeing them at the camp, riding bikes, perfectly natural? The effect of seeing both Michael and his fiancée naked? The awkwardness for Joanna’s mother? Her fears, the embarrassment about being naked at the wedding? The discussions, the lawyer? The mother’s visit and her reaction to Michael? The growing tension between the couple? The ceremony, Adam and Eve, baring all – and being good sports about the results?

12.Matt and Sam? The dancing wedding? Her singing off-key? He pleasant? Snoopy their friend and the visit to the club? The mother sitting in on all the interviews and discussions, her intervening, the sister returning from the trip, their taking over the conversation, the wedding planners and their being upset? Matt being angry? Sam and her reaction to her mother and sister? The dresses, the choreography, the rehearsals, Sam’s father turning up unannounced, his wife finding it awkward? Dancing together, the discussions? Her being won over – kissing her husband? Participating in all the dance routines?

13.Sam, her nervousness, feeling sick? The Busby Berkeley and Astaire- Rogers kind of wedding, the dancing, the pageant? The songs? Their winning?

14.Sam and Matt and the comment about waiting for the house and living in hope?

15.The naturists and their change of behaviour?

16.The tennis couple and his becoming a coach – and still bad tempered? Her getting her nose back?

17.The characters of the wedding planners, in themselves, a couple, the gay style? Their ideas, the campy presentation, the tensions with the couples, their sensitivities? The discussions, with Confetti magazine? Rehearsing the couples, trying to placate them? Weeping and getting upset? The build-up the night, the details, their enjoyment of everything?

18.The role of the psychiatrist? Satire? Listening and advising? Personal hang-ups?

19.The final song – and everybody participating? The conclusion and the summing up of audience enjoyment of weddings – and, despite all the effort, people being happy?