Muriel's Wedding

"If I had to do the same again, I would, my friend, Fernando"
Muriel's Wedding takes place in the early nineties in Porpoise Spit, Australia and follows the antics of Muriel Heslop (Toni Collette, Sixth Sense) on her journey to wedded bliss. The hilarity all starts at a wedding where Muriel catches the bouquet and miffs one of the maids (and so-called friends). She then gets arrested at the wedding for wearing a dress she stole from the local boutique (a recurring theme for her). A major hurdle for Muriel is that she isn't popular; even her father is more popular than she is. Muriel insists on hanging out with a crowd of would-be-harlots who berate her constantly for never listening, not wearing the right clothes, being fat, listening to 70s music, and constantly embarrassing them.

After being dumped by her friends, Muriel steals $12,000 from her father and shows up on the lavish trip they went on and pretends to be surprised to see them. The girls become even more volatile but in walks Rhonda Epinstalk (Rachel Griffiths, Brothers and Sisters), an old classmate, to save the day. They bond with their shared love of Abba then run off to Sydney, the "City of Brides", where they get jobs across the street from one another and share a flat. Muriel finally begins enjoying her life and after devising a way to get her dream wedding realizes there is more to life than getting married.

This is a charming film about growing up, self-esteem, body-image, surviving in a dysfunctional family and learning to live on your own. In the end Muriel realizes she has an opportunity for change that has nothing to do with her appearance. The film is full of laughs but also great sadness (one of the characters develops cancer and another commits suicide). And of course there's catchy Abba music throughout (Mamma Mia, Fernando, Dancing Queen, Waterloo) to keep your toes tapping. I highly recommend seeing this film at least once but it is just as delicious the second and third time. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.

A lot of heart
Muriel starts out as a sad girl in a classically dysfunctonal family, who takes her pleasure where she can. She is trying to get in good with a group of bitchy girls her age, but they are laughing at her behind her back. She ends up stealing some money from here dad to go off on a tropical vacation fling. There she meets up with the popular girls and an old friend, who turns out to be a wild but sweet girl. As Muriel hides herself and tries to create a new life, she becomes obsessed with "her wedding."
I won't spoil it for you, but, it's interesting to watch many people in this movie learn some very important things about life. If I had three thumbs, they would all be in the "up" position.

A lot of heart
Muriel starts out as a sad girl in a classically dysfunctonal family, who takes her pleasure where she can. She is trying to get in good with a group of bitchy girls her age, but they are laughing at her behind her back. She ends up stealing some money from here dad to go off on a tropical vacation fling. There she meets up with the popular girls and an old friend, who turns out to be a wild but sweet girl. As Muriel hides herself and tries to create a new life, she becomes obsessed with "her wedding."
I won't spoil it for you, but, it's interesting to watch many people in this movie learn some very important things about life. If I had three thumbs, they would all be in the "up" position.