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Four Weddings and a Funeral
Running Length: 1:57 Rated: 15 (Swearing, sex)
Starring: Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow, James Fleet, John Hannah, Charlotte Coleman, David Bower, Rowan Atkinson
While the script by Richard Curtis and direction by Mike Newell are near flawless, the movie features Hugh Grant at his most likeable, Simon Callow at his most blustering and John Hannah in the days before he could command million dollar pay cheques for starring in movies like upcoming blockbuster, The Mummy 2. The girls aren't too bad, either, with Anna Chancellor (Duckface), Charlotte Coleman (Scarlett) and Andie MacDowell (Carrie) all eclipsed by the delicious Kristin Scott Thomas (Fiona). Don't miss the scene where upper crust Fiona and Charles (Grant) are surveying one of the eponymous ceremonies. Charles: Any idea who the girl in the black hat is? Fiona: Name's Carrie. Charles: Pretty. Fiona: American. Charles: Interesting. Fiona: 'Slat'. Aspiring screenwriters could learn a thing or two from this classic. The pacing is timed to perfection, from the breakneck opening in which Charles and flatmate Scarlett try to get to the church on time to the well worn finale which adds a nice twist to familiar surroundings. While the supporting cast is sublime, one old mate of the screenwriter would have been better off leaving the project well alone. It was inevitable that Rowan Atkinson would be employed by Curtis. After all, the latter had played the stooge to Rowan on stage - Richard's recollections would become 1989's greatest laughfest, The Tall Guy. Small screen smash Mr Bean also did little to destroy their friendship and when you're scripting any film, it helps to have friends you can rely on. Alas, Atkinson is perhaps the weakest link in the chain, bringing too much baggage to his role as the rookie vicar, Gerald. As with Robin Williams, many had grown tired of the BlackAdder veteran by this point. After 14 years, familiarity was starting to breed contempt. Andie MacDowell is also a tad wooden as the primary love interest but it scarcely matters. The gags are hilarious, the drama is heartbreaking and the soundtrack is not bad - Love is All Around by Wet Wet Wet still gets the hairs on the back of the neck standing to attention. The reason for much of the film's charm can be attributed to the actors and director but screenwriter Richard Curtis and his partner Emma Freud deserve most of the glory for turning a good idea into a great screenplay. What may appear as a killer line in the movie for all of two seconds probably took Curtis and Freud months to perfect while slaving over a hot word processor. The idea of them bettering this was unthinkable. But last year, they did it again with Notting Hill which again featured Grant as a single thirtysomething who falls for a gorgeous American (Julia Roberts). It may not have been the most original idea on earth but who can blame Curtis and Freud for repeating a winning formula and actually improving on perfection?
© 2000 Roger Crow
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