WEDDING DAZE (THE PLEASURE OF YOUR COMPANY)
US, 2006, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jason Biggs, Isla Fisher, Joanna Gleason, Edward Herrmann, Margo Martindale, Ebon Moss- Bachrach, Joe Pantoliano, Matt Molloy, Jay O. Sanders, Chris Diamantopoulos, Michael Weston.
Directed by Michael Ian Black.
Wedding Daze is a likeable little comedy about love and marriage. Its heart is in the right place about love and commitment – but the screenplay, written by director Michael Ian Black, is sharper in its humour than expected with a number of funny remarks and wry comments.
Jason Biggs (looking better than he did in his American Pie days) is Anderson, so besotted with Vanessa that he dons a Cupid costume to surprise her in a restaurant with his proposal. She is really so surprised that she literally drops dead. Where to go from there, especially as he cannot get her out of his mind?
When his best friend (Michael Weston) urges him to snap out of it, he suddenly proposes to Katie, the waitress at a diner (Isla Fisher) and she accepts. We are then filled in with her background and a proposal she had received the previous evening and refused.
By this time we have a cast of amusing supporting characters: Katie’s father who is in prison, her highly strung mother and her stepfather who makes Jewish toys (like a Jupla!), Katie’s would-be fiance who is a wiz at movie charades, two Russians at the diner who want to be in the circus, and Anderson’s sex-obsessed parents.
Stir this all together, add some misunderstandings plus Dad’s escape from prison as well as the group borrowing a test-drive car and a wedding in Atlantic City that actually has everyone ending up in jail, and you have a better than average trifle in favour of true love.
1.A popular entertainment? Wedding froth? Love and fidelity?
2.The suburban settings, the various homes, apartments, restaurants, workplaces? Authentic feel? The musical score?
3.The fantasy notion – the death, the grief, the dare, the proposal, the consequences, the marriage? The fantasy sequences with Vanessa reappearing to Anderson? Her freeing him at the end?
4.The opening, Anderson, his dressing as Cupid, Ted and his reaction? The fight? Anderson going into the restaurant? Vanessa waiting, the waiter and his chatting her up – and the irony of their meeting in eternity after he killed himself for her? Anderson’s entrance, people’s surprise, his wanting the proposal to be memorable, Vanessa collapsing and dying? Her funeral?
5.A year of grief, Anderson in his apartment, the mess, his emotional mess? Going out with Ted? His seeing Katie across the diner, his sudden decision to propose to her? Her acceptance?
6.Tracking back to Katie’s experience, her fiancé and his proposal, his charades, her mother and stepfather and their enjoyment? The build-up to the proposal, her mother saying yes, her saying she wanted more time? The background to her accepting of Anderson’s proposal?
7.The time together, wandering around, talking, going to the rubbish dump at the top of the hill? Her realising the truth? His admitting it? Yet their liking each other? Her decision to move in, going home, packing up? The help from Matador at the diner, and the advice from Jane? Anderson and his tidying up?
8.Katie’s father in prison, his fight in the inmate, his apologising? Love for his daughter, the background of his marriage to Lois? The news about the wedding, his escaping from jail, his arriving at Lois’s house, the clash with her husband? His going to the shop – the hold-up to change clothes? His reconciliation with Lois, their going to the wedding?
9.Anderson and Katie and their meal with Lois and the stepfather? The tension, his attempt to do a charade, The Apple Dumpling Gang? The discussion about the Jewish toys, going to the basement, seeing the toys? The attack by William?
10.Going to visit Lyle and Betsy, the different parents, the sex obsession, discussions, the ring, the girls in the parlour? Their way of talking, support of their son? Betsy and her threats to Katie, the memory of Vanessa?
11.The build-up to the wedding? Ted and his being persuaded to borrow the test car? Their driving down to Atlantic City? The arrest because of the car? The arrest because of Katie’s father escaping? The hold-ups? The wedding ceremony, Vanessa appearing and freeing Anderson? The happy occasion? Everybody being arrested? In jail? Lyle and Betsy and their arrival?
12.The happy ending, good wishes from everyone? People being reunited? The sheriff giving his good wishes? His deputy teaming up with William?
13.The family material – but with the fantasy touch? And, especially, the sharp observations and jokes?
