Monsoon Wedding Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)February 28th, 2002
MONSOON WEDDING
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2002 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
In Mira Nair's MONSOON WEDDING, wedding planner P.K. Dubey (Vijay Raaz) has assured the bride's father, Lalit Verma (Naseeruddin Shah), that the rainy season is over. As the title gives away, we can reasonably assume that the wedding will turn out to be a soggy affair. But before we get to the concluding festivities, we have to endure non-stop small talk from all of the bride's large extended family and friends. Other than the cinematically traditional wedding eve fling with someone else before the couple ties the knot, little happens. Of course, the offended spouse-to-be will forgive the other one's indiscretion.
Vasundhara Das and Parvin Dabas turn in nice performances as the bride and groom. In a parallel romance, the gregariously annoying wedding planner falls for the sweetly obsequious Verma family maid, Alice (Tilotama Shome).
The best part of the production is the lush depiction of India's colorful clothing and elaborate decorations. But, to be honest, MONSOON WEDDING is no better in this regard than most other Indian films.
There's nothing wrong with MONSOON WEDDING, but we've seen it all before. After almost two hours of pleasantries, the movie pulls the old trick of throwing in a last minute zinger to spice up the story. But by then it's too late.
MONSOON WEDDING runs 1:54. The film is in English and in Hindi and Punjabi with English subtitles. It is rated R for "language, including some sex related dialogue" and would be acceptable for teenagers.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, March 8, 2002. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the Camera Cinemas.
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