The Big Wedding Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Divorced parents must pretend to still be married for their adopted son’s wedding, leading to chaos, awkward encounters, and enough sex jokes to make you question your life choices.

🍿 The Big Wedding: Detailed Plot Synopsis

The Setup: A Dysfunctional Family Reunion

Don and Ellie, divorced for years, are forced to pretend they’re still married for their adopted son Alejandro’s wedding. Alejandro’s biological mother, Madonna, a devout Catholic, is attending, and he fears her reaction to his parents’ divorce. This sets the stage for a weekend of awkward encounters and family secrets coming to light.

Secrets and Affairs Unfold

As the wedding approaches, various family dramas surface. Don is currently living with Bebe, Ellie’s former best friend, which adds another layer of complexity. Lyla, Don and Ellie’s daughter, is going through marital issues and discovers she is pregnant. Jared, their son, is a virgin facing temptation from Alejandro’s alluring sister, Nuria.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Don (Robert De Niro): A divorced, womanizing artist who agrees to pretend to be married to his ex-wife for his adopted son’s wedding.
• Ellie (Diane Keaton): Don’s ex-wife who reluctantly agrees to the charade and still harbors unresolved feelings for him.
• Bebe (Susan Sarandon): Don’s live-in girlfriend who is displaced by the fake marriage but ultimately finds happiness.
• Alejandro (Ben Barnes): The adopted son whose wedding precipitates the family chaos and forces his parents to fake their marriage.
• Lyla (Katherine Heigl): The daughter struggling with her own marriage and fertility issues while navigating her parents’ drama.
• Jared (Topher Grace): The virgin son who is a doctor and finds himself attracted to Alejandro’s sister.
• Missy (Amanda Seyfried): Alejandro’s fiancée, who wants to marry her lover despite dealing with the ensuing family drama.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Don: “Marriage is like a phone call in the night: first the ring, then you wake up.” – Don makes this cynical comment about marriage early in the film, setting the tone for his complicated relationships.
• Ellie: “We’re adults. We should be able to handle this like adults.” – Ellie attempts to bring a sense of maturity to the situation when asked to pretend to be married to Don.
• Bebe: “I was being generous, trying to make the best of a bad situation. But I can’t live like this anymore.” – Bebe expresses her frustration with Don’s reluctance to commit to her.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $35,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $21,819,348
• Worldwide Gross: $46,522,137

💥 The Big Wedding Reviews

Personal Review

Honestly, I was hoping for a fun, lighthearted wedding comedy, but this movie just left me feeling awkward. The jokes felt forced, and the characters weren’t very likable. I cringed during most of the ‘humorous’ scenes, especially the ones involving the family dynamics and their bizarre relationships. Even with a stellar cast, ‘The Big Wedding’ just couldn’t deliver. I wouldn’t recommend it.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of ensemble cast comedies”
  • “Viewers who enjoy films about dysfunctional families”
  • “Those interested in seeing veteran actors in comedic roles”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Strong language”
  • “Sexual content and nudity”
  • “Suggestive dialogue”
  • “Mature themes relating to infidelity and family conflict”

Professional Reviews

• Rotten Tomatoes: “The Big Wedding assembles a talented cast, but squanders them on a predictable script and humor that feels forced, resulting in a comedic disaster.
• IMDB User Review: “I went to see this because of the big name cast and I was deeply dissapointed. The movie tried to be funny, but the jokes were awkward and cringeworthy. Do yourself a favor and skip this movie. There are far better ways to spend your time.
• New York Times: “The Big Wedding is a parade of talented actors sleepwalking through a script that’s more reliant on tired tropes than genuine wit. It’s a missed opportunity.

Audience Reactions

Many viewers felt that the film wasted its talented cast on a weak and uninspired script.: Most audience members agreed that the movie relied too heavily on crude humor and lacked genuine heart.

Some viewers found the film’s depiction of family dynamics to be unrealistic and uncomfortable.: Many felt the movie’s various subplots were underdeveloped and poorly executed.

Overall Consensus: Generally considered a poorly executed comedy with a talented cast let down by a weak script and reliance on crude humor.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The film is a remake of the 2006 French-Swiss film ‘Mon frère se marie’.”
• “The film features four Oscar winners: Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, and Robin Williams; and one Oscar nominee: Amanda Seyfried.”

🖥️ How to Watch The Big Wedding?

Currently, ‘The Big Wedding’ is available for rent or purchase on various digital platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your local listings for availability through cable providers’ on-demand services as well.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed The Big Wedding, you might like these similar films:

• Father of the Bride (1991): Deals with the comedic chaos and emotional complexities of a wedding, focusing on family dynamics.
• Meet the Parents (2000): Features awkward family interactions and comedic misunderstandings, with a focus on fitting in with in-laws.
• The Family Stone (2005): Explores the dynamics of a dysfunctional family gathering for the holidays, revealing secrets and causing humorous chaos.

🛒 The Big Wedding Related Products

• Wedding Planner Book: The Ultimate Organizer for Your Big Day: A comprehensive guide to help couples plan every detail of their wedding, reducing stress and ensuring a memorable celebration. Includes checklists, timelines, and budget trackers.
• Wedding Photo Album: Elegant Keepsake for Cherished Memories: A beautifully designed photo album to store and display wedding photos, creating a lasting keepsake of the special day. Features acid-free pages and a durable cover.
• Wedding Mad Libs: Fun for the whole party to fill out. Guaranteed laughs and a fun wedding gift.
• Wedding Cake Topper – ‘Crazy Family’: A humorous cake topper featuring figurines depicting a dysfunctional family, adding a touch of comedy to the wedding cake. Perfect for couples with a sense of humor.

🎧 Soundtrack

The Big Wedding features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “It’s a Wonderful Life” – performed by Nathan Barr and Lisbeth Scott
• “Save the Last Dance for Me” – performed by Michael Bublé

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Ben Barnes’ Career So Far | From Eurovision to Prince Caspian to Shadow and Bone | Netflix

Did you know Ben Barnes, who was in ‘The Big Wedding’, almost went to Eurovision?! This video dives into his diverse career, from Narnia to Netflix. It’s pretty cool to see how his career has evolved!

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