This trip to the alter may give you second thoughts about saying “I do,” unless you fully vet your partner. Well-directed and acted, it takes you from bliss to white-knuckle nuptials with almost a horror bent. Here, Writer/Director Kristoffer Borgli, (Sick of Myself, Dream Scenario), explores the psychological and emotional fallout when a disturbing piece of the past comes to light, right before the wedding.
Described as a dramatic rom-com following Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson) and Emma Harwood (Zendaya) from the time they first meet, it’s upbeat and cute at first, as he tries to talk to her in a coffee shop. There’s miscommunication because she is deaf on one ear which plays a factor later in the film. They connect and go on a date. Two years later, in prep for their wedding, we see them having fun together dancing as their strict choreographer helps with their wedding dance for the big day.
But when Emma thinks she sees her wedding DJ smoking illegal drugs outside in public, she goes crazy wanting the woman to be fired. Charlie calms her down saying that shouldn’t affect who they have at the wedding, that lots of people smoke in public.
Rachel, and Mike (Alana Haim, and Mamoudou Athie) who are to be Emma’s Maid of Honor, and Charlie’s Best Man are spending a lot of time with the bridal couple before the wedding. At the final tasting, they get drunk together, much to the dismay of the caterer, but there is a lot of comedy in their inebriated state, until the big twist that sets the story on a new trajectory.
Rachel says before she and Mike married they played this game, “The worst thing we’ve ever done.” Each takes a turn. Charlie admits he cyber-bullied a school chum. After much prodding from Rachel, Emma nervously admits that when young, she came this close to doing something that could have hurt a lot of people. Did she do it, or not? She throws out the details, and just the thought of what she may have caused throws all, especially Charlie, into a head spin. It is a reference to gun violence in school. Obviously, Director Borgli intended to not only make them gasp and squirm uncomfortably, but you will too.
This is where we think the film goes off the rails. From here, having the wedding at all looks iffy. Pattinson’s Charlie goes nuts acting totally out of character and control with a female co-worker days before their nuptials. Zendaya’s Emma goes serious, nervous and totally disturbed. At the wedding, the tension becomes excruciating between the bride and groom in front of their guests.
Borgli takes it too far, making wedding day way too intense, bloody and explosive. Pattinson and Zendaya show great range of emotions throughout, but even with some light comedy, it’s hard to call this psychologically depressing film a honeymoon.
A24 1 hour 46 minutes. R
Related posts:
Knives Out Writer/Director Rian Johnson talks about having the whole cast on the set
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
For Worse
Ford v Ferrari Stunt Coordinator, Robert Nagle
Interview with Waves stars Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Taylor Russell and Writer/Director Trey Edward Shults talking teen angst, family and sound design.
THE CAMPERS AT THE SUNDANCE PREMIERE OF CRIP CAMP: A DISABILITY REVOLUTION TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THE FILM.
