Review : 'The Big Wedding' starring Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton

These days movies about large family gatherings are things you just eye roll at once you see a poster on the street. Instantly you think “ugh how did someone figure out a way to make this movie again with different people”.  But from time to time one sneaks through that is actually not a waste of time or perish the thought, GOOD! Now these movies are usually remakes from some international movie but hey, good is good and this week we actually have one that is one of those few in The Big Wedding.

The Big Wedding is just what you would imagine the plot to be from seeing the trailer. Don (Robert DeNiro) and Ellie Griffin (Diane Keaton) are a divorced couple forced to interact with one another because of their adopted son Alejandro’s (Ben Barnes) wedding to Missy O’ Connor (Amanda Seyfried). Also there is Bebe (Susan Sarandon), Ellie’s former best friend and the woman who Don cheated on Ellie with and has been living with since their separation. Lyla (Katherine Heigl), oldest child of Don & Ellie still hasn’t forgiven her father for what he did to her mother. Jared (Topher Grace) is the middle son who, while being a successful doctor, is still a virgin since he’s waiting for true love. All these things spin madly into the wedding.   Alejandro’s very devout Catholic birth mother is attending so Don & Ellie have to pretend they are still married because he never told her about their divorce. All sorts of drama happens along the way, a sex crazed Colombian sister, slightly racist in-laws, and a quite possibly drunken Catholic Priest.

This movie is surprisingly a hoot to watch. Films like this have been done, over and over and over, so it's kind of hard to make them interesting  or entertaining. The Big Wedding covers everything in its plot that you know and expect perfectly, so much that you could probably just tell a person on the street the plot without ever seeing a frame, but what makes it fun is the levity of it all and the clear enjoyment of the cast on screen.  Keaton and DeNiro seem to be having the most fun here as the exes that don’t totally hate each other. Heigl is also really good here. It’s nice to see her just be funny and not have to carry some lame romantic lead role. She should maybe just do a couple of these to build back some cred with viewers who stay far away from her usual stuff.

Everything said earlier about how predictable this movie is a bit of a detriment. If the performances or the cast doesn’t go for you then this movie will fall flat. The movie also has a nice bit of crass humor throughout. Not Apatow level but a surprising amount in a movie you wouldn’t expect to see it in. Also this isn’t Rachel Getting Married so everything wraps up perfectly for everyone. With all that being said if you want to see a decently funny comedy The Big Wedding will be a good time for you.