“Our Family Wedding” is directed by Rick Famuyiwa, who made “The Wood” and “Brown Sugar“. This is important to know, because if you ‘ve seen these movies, you know the kind of relationships he establishes and the context in which these movies happen in. There is always a depiction of contemporary Urban America that we can always depend on to look good, and have drama that we can all relate to in some way.
In this story, America Fererra and Lance Gross are Lucia and Marcus, a young couple in love. Lucia’s family is Mexican-American, and owns an auto repair/body shop. Marcus is from a single parent African American household, lead by his father, Los Angeles DJ Brad Boyd (played by Forest Whitaker). The young couple announce their plans to marry, and a predictable cultural clash happens.
Marcus is fresh out of med school and has committed to a year in Laos with Doctors Without Borders. Lucia is supposed to be finishing up her law degree at Columbia, but is choosing to follow her heart in more than one way. She has to confront her parents, and eventually, herself, about her choices and the life she’s actually leading.
Lucia’s sister is a tomboy who has become a master mechanic and invaluable to their father’s business. The relationship between the two is tested because while Lucia is non-confrontational, her sister’s style is very up-front.
America Ferrera and Lance Gross jump the broom in Our Family Wedding
“Our Family Wedding” leans on the old jokes. There is a Latin Grandmother who talks about you in Spanish while you’re in the room. She passes out when she meets Marcus. No, seriously. She hits the floor. There’s a scene with Taye Diggs and Charlie Murphy that belongs in a barber shop.
If there’s a racial stereotype about Blacks and/or Hispanics, it’s in this movie. If there’s a age-ist stereotype, it’s in this movie. There’s Viagra. Marriages on autopilot. If that’s not enough, there’s a goat. Who gets into the Viagra.
One great thing about this movie is the relationship between Brad Boyd and his son. For all of his OCD-tendencies and young girl-chasing, Brad loves his son, and there are some good scenes between Whitaker and Gross. For a film with racial stereotypes, the dead-beat dad is not one that’s explored in this film. Thankfully.
“Our Family Wedding” is a story about love, honesty, and good families. What happens when you raise your kids to have “more than you had”? What happens to tradition? These are a couple of the questions raised in this comedy. But the movie’s potential is held down by some over-the-top jokes, questionable casting (why are Forest Whitaker and Regina King in this movie?) and sight gags. It’s just too much at times. There are more cringes than laughs, unfortunately.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z1mDQLJXFA&feature=player_embedded
Good (2 stars)
Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and brief strong language.
Running time: 90 minutes
Studio: Fox Searchlight
Photos by Scott Garfield
I'll wait for it to hit cable. I hope Tyler Perry's new studio produces more than comedies. The whole Hispanic African American thing is corny too. It plays off the same jokes you see in the White / Black relationship comedies or Hispanic /White comedies like Guess Who's Coming to Dinner or Monster-In-Law. And why to not offend anyone they need to be so educated and middle class. I would almost prefer some ghetto love story with heart.
I don't think this movie is produced by Tyler Perry, but he has been in the news a lot about empowerment so I want scripts like "Up in the Air" or "Hurt Locker" produced. I loved Sanaa Lathan in Alien Predator. That's much more interesting stuff and broad in appeal. These comedies mostly appeal to AA and Hispanic. How many whites are going to this? Not many. Oh but they say this movie is made for the Black and Hispanic community. That's not right. This type of movie is force fed to us so we go but we need better material. Corny.
Hey Ernesto!
No, Tyler Perry isn't involved with this film. The audience in the screening I saw this in was a pretty mixed crowd, a good representation of various races of people. They seemed to enjoy the film more than I.
Would LOVE to talk to you about how you tolerated Sanaa in AVP. It's funny, I liked her work in Tyler Perry's "Family That Preys" a LOT more than her work in AVP.