Sneak Preview Entertaiment, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Forrest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, Regina King, Lance Gross, Diana Maria Riva, Lupe Ontiveros
This movie was not what I expected going in. I expected a lame, one joke disaster, sort of a “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” for Mexicans. Well, as the preview led us to believe, the crux of the movie IS a black guy and and a Latina girl who are both afraid to tell their parents that they’re about to get married. But there is much, much more to the story.
America Fererra did a fabulous job as Lucia, the girl who loves, but is afraid of her father. Is it fear, or respect, or a desire to make him proud that drives her to exclude him from what’s happening in her life? There is a scene where he sits on the porch and tells her what his “dream” of her wedding would be. Fathers do this sort of thing, but rarely admit these kinds of feeling. It’s very poignant. She needed to learn a lot about independence, making up her own mind, and at the same time, what traditions and family history is important and should be preserved or blended into her new life. Forest Whitaker was an interesting choice to play Brad, Lucia’s father to be. He’s not typically a comedic actor, and many reviewers thought he was awful in this role, but I think he did fine with it. He’s the typical cool single Dad who shows up to dinner with a girl who went to school with his daughter-in-law to be. Oops. He’s lost and looking to find some meaning in his life too. As he says, “I’m the last person you want to ask about marriage advice”. He’s got a lot to learn too.
But the main event is the two Dad’s and how they relate to all the events that happen. It’s a little “Father of the Bride” thrown in for good measure. The natural dislike for Carlos’ and Forest’s character make for a lot of the humor of the film, but there is a lot more besides that.
America’s sister has things to learn, as does Mrs. Ramirez (Sonia) who has lost herself in the role of wife and mother. Each person has a lot to work thorough, and it’s an interesting hour and a half watching them do it.
A great comedic effort from Lupe Ontiveros, (who you’ll remember as the lady who shot Jennifer Lopez in Selena!) as Momma Cecilia. She has some very funny scenes. And it’s really funny sometimes when she starts speaking in Spanish and the other family members “translate” what she says, but very loosely. 🙂 She is really funny.
Basically I was pleasantly surprised by this film, and I thought it was a lot better than I expected it to be. It was very warm and funny, and well worth the watch.
Movie Review - Our Family Wedding (2010) {PG-13},
