Country: Australia
Genre(s): Comedy
Director: P.J.
Hogan
Cast: Toni Collette
/ Rachel Griffiths / Bill Hunter
Plot
Insecure and socially
awkward Muriel, who is obsessed with ABBA music and planning an imaginary
wedding for herself, steals money from her father to go on a dream
vacation. There she befriends adventurous
and confident Rhonda, who helps her learn to believe in herself.
What I Liked
The best films coming
out of New Zealand and Australia in the late 1980s and early 1990s all have a
unique quality in common. They may all
have different plots, characters, and even completely different genres. Still, whether we’re talking about the movies
of Peter Jackson, Baz Luhrmann, or P.J. Hogan, the films all have a stylish
in-your-face quirkiness that sets them apart from films from other parts of the
world or other eras. The movies made by
all three directors feature loud, almost cartoonish characters presented in
extreme close-up. The dress, behavior,
and even language of these characters are garish to the extreme and the
filmmaking at times matches that gaudiness.
The benefit of this is that the films fascinate the eye, sometimes even
during more mundane scenes. Hardly a
minute passes without something off-kilter or downright bizarre flashing across
the screen.
In the case of
writer-director P.J. Hogan’s “Muriel’s Wedding,” the plot is certainly more
down-to-Earth and mainstream than what was typical of early output from Jackson
or Luhrmann. Not that the story lacks
for off-the-wall encounters and twists, but it always comes back to the
relatable struggles of everyday living and Muriel’s charming quest to discover
happiness. Personally, I rather enjoy the gross-out-effects and comic book
intensity of Peter Jackson’s early cult classics, but that said, it’s no wonder
that “Muriel’s Wedding” had a broader international appeal upon release than
something like Jackson’s “Bad Taste.” The
filmmakers mine the awkward and quirky moments of life in a none-too-subtle
way, but always maintain a high level of sentimentality in order to maintain an
emotional hold over their audience.
Of course without the
enchanting performance of Toni Collette in the title role, this film would
almost certainly have been forgotten long before it had the chance to leave
Australian cinemas. Collette’s well
rounded performance brings a depth to a character who, in the hands of another
actor, might have been a one-dimensional bore.
She gives us a Muriel we can feel sorry for, relate to, root for, wonder
about, and laugh at. Really most of the
main roles are filled by talented actors, but it is Collette who makes the film
memorable.
And any movie with a
town in it called Porpoise Spit gets an automatic extra half point from me.
What I Didn’t Like
I. Hate. ABBA's music.
Ok, enough on that.
Also, while the frenetic,
hyper-bold filmmaking of Australian/New Zealand films that I referenced
earlier, while admittedly dazzling to the eye, can be somewhat off-putting too. At times it felt like Hogan wasn’t sure
what kind of movie he was making. The
emotions swing from pure comedy to gaudy trash cinema to heart-rending family
drama without any smooth transition at all, which is again common to films of
its place and era. At times these
swerves in direction feel a bit too raucous to endure.
Most Memorable Scene
Collette killed me in
the scene where she meets her future husband, a handsome athlete. I couldn’t help but be embarrassed for both
characters as Muriel’s excitement and awkwardness just goes into overdrive and
turns into a horror-show for her panicked groom-to-be. Definitely one of the funniest moments I’ve
witnessed so far on this project.
My Rating: 3.5 out 5
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