When it was released in 1994 Four Weddings and a Funeral quickly became a huge international success, pulling in the kind of audiences most British films only dream of. It's proof that sometimes the simplest ideas are the best: in terms of plot, the title pretty much says it all. Revolving around, well, four weddings and a funeral (though not in that order), the film follows Hugh Grant's confirmed bachelor Charles as he falls for visiting American Carrie (Andy McDowell), whom he keeps bumping into at the various functions.
But with this most basic of premises, screenwriter Richard Curtis has crafted a moving and thoughtful comedy about the perils of singledom and that ever-elusive search for true love. In the wrong hands, it could have been a horribly schmaltzy affair, but Curtis' script--crammed with great one-liners and beautifully judged characterisations--keeps things sharp and snappy, harking back to the sparkling Hollywood romantic comedies of the 30s and 40s. The supporting cast, including Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow and Rowan Atkinson (who starred in the Curtis-scripted television show Blackadder) is first rate, at times almost too good: John Hannah's rendition of WH Auden's poem "Funeral Blues" over the coffin of his lover is so moving you think the film will struggle to re-establish its ineffably buoyant mood. But it does, thanks in no small part to Hugh Grant as the bumbling Charles (whose star-making performance compensates for a less-than-dazzling Andie MacDowell). Though it's hardly the fault of Curtis and his team, the success of the Four Weddings did have its downside, triggering a rash of far inferior British romantic comedies. In fact, we had to wait until 1999's Notting Hill for another UK film to match its winning charm--scripted, yet again, by Curtis and starring Grant. --Edward Lawrenson
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
A classic fun movie The classic movie
they swear like troopers in the first 5 minutes
not for small ears after that its damn good classic stuff
More wooden than Epping Forest Very entertaining stuff, a (mostly) superb cast and an absolutely cracking script.
The whole thing is let down by Andie MacDowell. WHY does this woman get work? She couldn't act if she had a gun to her head. Her delivery of the line "Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed" is so cringemakingly bad it's hilarious. In fact her entire performance is utterly dire. It'd be a 4* film if it had a different female lead. Anyone would do. Lily Savage would have been preferable, really.
LAUGH AND CRY What a great film. The cast gel really well and you almost feel like one of the gang as you grow to love them all. Hugh Grant is at his bumbling best and it's laughs all the way. I really recommend seeing the film if you haven't already.
Five Stars and a Big Cheer !!! Nearly every British film that EVER comes out is always given the title 'BEST BRITISH FILM EVER MADE', it's embarrassing! Imagine if every American film that came out was tagged with 'Best American film ever made', so why do we Brits do it ? Most of the time, they are not the Best British Film Ever made!!! We do make great films but we do not need to put a tag on the film!! HOWEVER...Four Weddings and a Funeral definately deserves the title of 'One of the Best British films ever made'. It is so... more info
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