Where I Watched It: Netflix
Description Provided By: International Digital Center
Description Written By: Dakota Green
Narrated By: Kimberly.
I’ll just start by acknowledging that I do not know Kimberly’s last name. I think I could attempt to word vomit a version of it, but it wouldn’t be correct. I did check theadna.org for a simple search of Kimberly, and returned no results. Really? no Kimberly’s in the industry? And, the title didn’t help either. It’s not even linked to Dakota Green yet.
With that behind me, lets talk Wedding Season. Netflix is clearly all about pumping out films that make you question if you’re watching something that could ahve ever been destined for theatres. And, I’d argue that with Wedding Season, if started in platform release, it’s cute enough that I tight have had a Big Fat Greek Wedding kind of following to it.
In Wedding Season (which is very competently directed by the same guy who did Failure To Launch), we do have a mismatched couple like in basically every romcom ever. But like in Greek wedding, they are supported by a robust ensemble, and the ever presence of tradition and culture. With a primarily Indian American cast, this film celebrates a population rarely given their due in the English language. Sure, you always have Bollywood titles, but ask the average American if they’ve ever watched one. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Aside from a hardcore movie community always looking to extend their film purview beyond just Sundance films and whatever Jason Blum is putting into theatres, the regular American folk who just pop on a movie of a genre they like with stars they know, don’t usually branch out into this territory. This is one of those rare occasions where I wish Netflix sometimes did more theatrical releases, just to give a film more visibility, and keep it from being lost in a sea of streaming mediocrity.
I’m not saying that Wedding Season is my favorite film of the year, but comparing to another film that did get a theatrical release earlier this year, the Jennifer Lopez/Owen Wilson Marry me, both are equally charming, without either feeling like they’re going to be remembered 30 years from now. The difference with Wedding Season is that it’s actually attempting to do something different, something we don’t get enough of, to the point that we don’t have enough recognizable talent to even anchor a film like this.
I recognized Arianna Asfar, only because I’m that big of an American Idol fan (so don’t you ever challenge me on it). If I can remember a semi-finalist from Season 8, I’d say I’m doing pretty good. Arianna plays what I’d call third billing, as the sister to the lead, who is set to marry a white guy that is trying super hard to embrace the Indian culture as much as possible and make his fiancée’s life better. At times, it’s comical, and others it’s sweet.
I know that some people out there would hope that this film, with this culture and representation, would also feature a narrator from that community, and I can’t answer to that. I’m not even sure if we have working narrators with that background. but, as the film is a romantic comedy, and the most difficult thing is either capturing the colorful style of the culture or letting us know when a non-Indian character is on screen, I’d say the narration did a good job.
Take a leap with Wedding Season. It’s a lot more charming than i ever expected it to be.
Final Grade: B
