SERIAL (BAD) WEDDINGS (2014)

Genre: Comedy
Director: Philippe de Chauveron
Cast: Christian Clavier, Chantal Lauby, Ary Abittan, Medi Sadoun, Frédéric Chau, Noom Diawara, Frédérique Bel, Julia Piaton, Emilie Caen, Elodie Fontan
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Some Mature Content)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 11 December 2014

Synopsis: Claude and Marie Verneuil, from the provincial, Catholic upper middle class, are rather conservative parents. But they've always forced themselves to be open-minded. However, their tolerance has been sorely tested when their first daughter married a Muslim, the second a Jew, and the third a Chinese man. Their hopes to at last see one of their daughters married in church hence focus on their youngest, who has, hallelujah, just met a good Catholic...

Movie Review:

If you ever need a reminder that French cinema can be as commercialised as Hollywood, look no further than the latest Gallic comedy, ‘Serial (Bad) Weddings’. One of the biggest box-office earners at home when it opened earlier this year, this culture-clash family comedy sees an upper-class Catholic couple (Christian Clavier and Chantal Lauby) struggle to accept an Arab, a Jew, a Muslim and finally a black – in that order – as their sons-in-law. In place of artistic merit, writer/ director Philippe de Chauveron trades on broad stereotypes for laughs that are convenient, crass and to some extent, cheap, so those expecting any sort of sophistication should probably look elsewhere.

Together with his co-writer Guy Laurent, de Chauveron has tapped on the close-mindedness of his fellow Frenchmen to fashion a story that begins after Claude and Marie (Clavier and Lauby respectively) witness with an awkward grimace their three daughters get married to a Rachid Benassem (Medi Sadoun), a David Benichou (Ary Abittan) and a Chao Ling (Frédéric Chau). Though their individual marriages seem to be happy and fulfilling, the family reunions are as chaotic as can be – in particular, a luncheon after the circumcision of their Jewish grandchild sees Rachid call David “Arafat” and the former being served a karate chop by Chao later on for demeaning his race.

But in an attempt to reconcile the family, Claude and Marie invite the three married couples and their one unmarried daughter to their “castle” in the picturesque French countryside for the weekend. They have an ulterior motive though – to introduce their youngest, Laure (Elodie Fontan), to their ideal son-in-law. Unbeknownst to them, Laure is already engaged to Charles (Noom Diawara), who though Catholic is African and has a dad André (Pascal Nzonzi) that is tough and even more racially intolerant than the two of them combined (yes, indeed, racism cuts both ways).

Even though de Chauveron teases his audience to guess whether or not the wedding between Charles and Laure is doomed as tempers flare and fray, there is no doubt at any point that there will be a happy ending for the couple. What therefore remains to be seen is whether the journey to that destination is worth the ride, and the answer in this case, is questionable. Clavier is a known comic star in his home territory, and here proves to be the best thing about the shenanigans; indeed, Clavier shares good rapport with Nzonzi, and despite the clichés, their scenes bonding over fine wine, cigars and Charles de Gaulle are heartwarming and pleasing.

Unfortunately, the film on a whole can’t quite rise above the trappings of a middling sitcom, with its gags resembling that which belong to the sort of politically incorrect Hollywood comedies that deserve to be both raunchier and more irreverent. How else would you spin a joke about the family dog eating what is supposed to be a sacred piece of foreskin that David had entrusted his parents-in-law to keep buried in the ground? Or Andre turning out to be a former military man who remains resentful of the “whites” for having colonised his homeland? de Chauveron aims to have his cake and eat it by trying to keep the racially tinged jokes just mildly inoffensive, but doesn’t quite succeed either way.

Thankfully, the game cast make the affair an amiable enough one to pass the time. Besides Clavier, the male cast members, Sadoun, Abittan and Chau, share good chemistry with one another. Their rib-tickling resembles a cheerful night out with friends, and a sequence where they band together impromptu to sing the French national anthem – and surprise their father-in-law – is easily one of the highlights of the film.

Depending on how you like your (French) comedy, you may either find de Chauveron’s multicultural farce amusing or simply frustrating. To be sure, this isn’t the sort of classy stuff you would expect from ‘Amelie’; but if you’re willing to accept your French cinema like Hollywood cuisine, then you’ll find that ‘Serial (Bad) Weddings’ still has quite a number of guffaws to offer, especially if you’re in a light-hearted generous mood. 

Movie Rating:

(As Hollywood as French cinema gets, this multicultural farce trades on racial stereotypes for a rib-tickling time while trying to stay on the right side of political correctness)

Review by Gabriel Chong