Mother of the Bride Review: Brooke Shields Stars in a Movie with no Soul or Substance

– No Spoilers –

In this romantic-comedy film, Lana finds out that the man her daughter is marrying isn’t just some random guy – his father is the man who broke her heart in college and then ghosted her. Not wanting to ruin her daughter’s wedding, she tries to be civil but things aren’t as simple as one might expect!

I think the entire point of rom-coms is that they are predictable – which is fine, because the familiarity is sometimes welcome and warm to watch and feels like hot chocolate on a rainy day. However, the most important part of the ever-familiar genre is its charm and its ability to make us love and smile without feeling like we are getting back together with our ex.

The problem with Mother of the Bride is that it hits all the familiar and cliche notes while not having an ounce of warmth and love. It’s a half-baked and frankly insulting production that tries too hard to be something it is not and fails terribly in the process. The entire concept of the movie is choppy and the subplots have nothing in them for us to look back on. I mean, they are there but then there is no point of their existence. You could just forget about them and it wouldn’t make a difference.

The main plot, on the other hand, is another forgettable affair. There is no chemistry between the actors, which is by far the most important part of a rom-com in my opinion. Take, for example, The Idea of You – a thoroughly forgettable plot that you simply can’t forget because of the crackling chemistry between Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. In this movie, there is neither comedic chemistry nor that of love. Lana and Emma don’t feel like they are really into their relationship and you don’t feel their tension or their warmth. Same for the relationship between Lana and Will. However, poor Lucas (played by Chad Michael Murray) is probably the most forgetful of the lot because even the writers forgot to do something with his character.

Again, the problem isn’t that it is cliche – we love a cliched rom-com. The problem is that there is nothing worth remembering. The silly plot about the influencer thing is such an odd thing for us to focus on. It’s neither a big deal in the grand scheme of things nor is it portrayed in a way that would show us how the changes in the wedding are impacting Lana and Emma’s relationship. In hopes of making us laugh over stupid stuff, the movie forgets to bring the relationships to the surface and make us root for them in any way.

Mother of the Bride Review: Final Thoughts

The question isn’t whether or not Mother of the Bride is forgettable because the movie is not something you would be capable of remembering anyway. The effort is unnecessary because the movie is so thin on the plot and the chemistry that it slips the mind the moment you watch it – at least you save yourself the effort. In the end, thus, the cringy dialogues and the lack of genuine relationship-building is its doom but, to be honest, I didn’t understand what the movie was trying to say anyway. It’s choppy and dumb – probably the worst combination possible for a rom-com.

Also Read: Trinil Review: Hilariously Silly Movie Feels Like a Fever Dream