By Sade Hurst / Opinions Editor
By Sade Hurst / Opinions Editor
If you want to sit back, relax and watch a movie with a couple of laughs and few sweet aww moments, then you will enjoy this semi-glossy film.
Do not expect much from “Our Family Wedding,” because while the film does not put you to sleep, it does not keep you alert.
It’s definitely not a first pick movie; it’s a second pick movie if the first pick is sold out.
The movie is about a young couple getting married who must deal with their hard headed fathers played by the usually funny Carlos Mencia and always charming Forest Whitaker.
It was unexpected to see Whitaker, play a character who does not believe in love and is a womanizer.
Whitaker’s performance no doubt kept up with Mencia’s comedy and the chemistry between the two appeared to work well. In fact, both men did a good job as a comedic duo.
Almost every actor did a great job of not outshining each other and keeping comedy as the main focus, with exception to America Ferrera.
Ferrera, who plays the bride, attempted to be funny but the humor was totally missed by the audience.
Making up for Ferrera’s absence of comedy was co-star Anjelah Johnson.
Johnson, a former cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders, turned her talents to stand up comedy and acting in 2007.
Johnson’s witty comedy in the movie saved Ferrera’s absences of comedy. Her role of the tomboy sister who refuses to fall in love did the movie some justice.
The film displayed the stages of love which can be described as puppy love, eternal love and rekindled love.
Thankfully, the film wasn’t just about a love story and showed the dynamics of two very culturally different families.
Another odd casting pick, if you have not already read previews for this movie, was Regina King who was surprisingly not cast as the groom’s mother,instead King was cast as the friend of the father of the groom who later turns into a love interest for Whitaker.
From what’s seen in the previews of this movie, one would assume the main plot makes for an important topic to talk about in society.
Whoever made the trailers, made this film seem like a “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” sequel, which is untrue; this film was not about the problems of an interracial couple getting married.
Instead, the film was more about older traditions versus unorthodox traditions and in this plot, the film was a disappointment.
When there finally was mention of differentiated cultures and race, it was displayed as a joke.
Because this film was a comedy, jokes were indeed expected, however; the previews still suggested something more.
One thing the film fails to do is have serious moments. One might like to see traditions compared for the topic of race.
Perhaps the writers thought it wasn’t a serious enough topic since we are in the age of Obama.
If so, the writers should really take a look outside the movie set and if that’s what they did attempt to do, they should try again.
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “Jungle Fever” are just a couple of films which acurately demonstrated the concept of two culturally different families coming together in the face of stereotypes and prejudice.
Who knows, maybe this was just a stepping stone for someone else to do this type of movie justice again by using the same concept and doing a much better job at it.
Until then do not waste a single dime on this movie as it could wait to be seen on DVD.
