Rating: A
Dir: Victor Levin
Star: Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, DJ Dallenbach, Ted Dubost
Frank (Reeves) and Lindsay (Ryder) are travellers queuing at an airport for a flight, who take an instant and quite reasonable dislike to each other. So it’s a good job that they’re not heading to the same small resort for the same wedding, with adjoining rooms, to then discover that they broadly despise not just the other, but also everyone else attending the event… because that would be unfortunate…
The dialogue, pacing and delivery is all excellent. Winny is angular, awkward and persistently persistent, whilst Keno is smug, self absorbed, and knowingly stupid. All with music that fits like grout. Smooth and slick, holding and framing the pieces crisply. What’s key to know is that this is a talking heads film with absolutely no action.
“She does not have the sense God gave a toaster.”
Two heads talking. Just talking. For the whole film. With only Keno and Winny listed as cast. And this is not trite or unkind, it simply reflects the actuality of the piece. So, thankfully, the dialogue and delivery is sharp, pricelessly quirky, smooth and angular, and their interchanges and sparring is superb, all fuelled by a tired, flat energy.
“Do you care about anything?”
“I don’t. I’m just trying to amuse myself and get to tomorrow.”
And just when you are feeling that two talking heads may not carry the whole film, along comes some excellent physical comedy. Thunk, said the head, meeting the table. It is brilliantly done and so neatly paced, interspersed islands of hilarity arriving when least expected. There’s also some attractive scenery for the backdrop. And then more physical laugh-out-loud moments. And a cougar. Maybe.
“You did save me!”
“Us.”
“How much worse can things get?”
Okay. So to cut to the chase. This is broadly the same joke being told again and again, but in slightly different and ever evolving ways. However, it’s a good joke, told well by two very accomplished players, and it’s very hard not to get drawn in, and, frankly, why resist the allure!?
“You eat like a racoon.”
“I was enjoying the silence.”
The two bed scenes are cutely wonderful, silly, lovely and genuinely hilarious. How on earth they kept a straight face is beyond me, and I’d love to see the outtakes!
So, this is a Destination Wedding. And. What if ‘we’re’ the destination?
To wrap up: dialogue; delivery; timing; acting; pacing; laughs – it’s all sublime. Beautiful. And. Deeply odd.
I really enjoyed this film, it easily held my attention (by doing broadly nothing) for the entire 87 minutes, and I would very happily watch it again, and maybe again-again. And you should give it a go, you never know, you might really enjoy it too.