The Wedding Video

The success of the Hangover, means we have to a British answer to the Hangover, because that is what the world wants! That is what audiences are calling for from Anchorage, to Santiago. The youth of Indonesia, and the coastal cities of China, will not rest until we have seen full frontal nudity and drunkenness and prostitutes and a British accent. The trailers, which preceded this film featured two films, of the same premise.( British answers to the Hangover/Bridemaids) As if Bridemaids, and Hot Tub time machine were not enough.

Rufus Hall, last seen in Argumental, and Robert Webb, two stalwarts of Dave ( Dave is a British comedy tv channel)  Are cast as two brothers. Webb, is basically copying his partner David Mitchell role from Peep Show, the repressed, reliable, decent one. While Rufus is the wacky one. At one point he describes himself, as the ``Human Las Vegas.''

To be honest, Hall's character is a >>>>

The conceit is that Hall, will make a wedding video as a gift to his Brother and Sister in law.
His Sister in law, Mother as married into money. Saskia Dutton, the former wild-child, of Raif, the protagonists,( Rufus Hall) high school years.
We get to see bit about Cheshire society. This is Hollyoaks country! The place where the monied classes of Liverpool and Manchester settle. The Mother of the Bride, having found her fortune, is currently trying to outclass her local friends and rivals. Where the rival wedding had doves, Webb/Hall/Saskia, will have butterflies.  A local mansion, is booked for the happy couple, a wedding planner, is hired. The Wedding planner is Michelle Gomez from( The Book Group,  Green Wing)  The film, has a couple of British sitcom regulars. Matt Berry, stars as Rufus friend. ( The I.T Crowd, Garth Marengi's Dark Place) Kevin Eldon stars as a wine merchant ( Hyperdrive, Fist of Fun, Brasseye)

The film does a decent job of putting emotion into the proceedings. Hall and Webb, parents died on a trip to South America. The trip which they had planned for their whole lives.  Saskia and her mother, are perhaps a bit uneasy with there wealth, despite there breeding. There is a nice scene when Saskia talks to her mother about them sneaking into a classical concert held in the grounds of a castle, before they had money. Miram Margoyles does a star turn, as the Grandmother of the Bride. A British Battleaxe. We see Rufus Hall, sitting in his room, and listening to a couple argue. We see Rufus, mulling about,

Its not an awful film, but I am getting the same, response, I gave to the Hangover mark 2. Either your an adult or your not. An adult should not need to get drunk to stand up to someone. An adult should not end a relationship because they are unhappy. .The film cops out of it.  Webb's charcter is criticised for surrendering to his  would be Mother in Law demands, but it is her, whom I presume is paying for the wedding. Webb character has married into money, as much as the Dutton girls. Its a fairly muted performace by Webb. Which is correct ,  We get a happy ending but really should we not have worked harder towards it?  The film dodges the point is that its easy for Rufus Hall, to sweep Saskia off her feet, as he is the brother of the groom. Her defences are down, because she is with her brother in law, her little brother in law. But how, is kissing Saskia, worse than Kissing a stripper, and besides why didn't Saskia speak up sooner?

Not a bad film, not a great one either