The Wedding Banquet (English / Korean)

The original 1993 "A Wedding Banquet" film is a cult classic film that showed us a cultural dynamic that East Asians have grappled with for centuries, especially in the queer space. The 2025 movie, like a second generation Asian American, knows intimately the struggle of this one weird moment of displacement in our modern era. While the reference of this one is still the original film, but this new version gives its own spin making to more of a drama than a comedy film. And maybe it's my bad. I expected more of a romcom, but it felt like a deep romantic movie with a lot of serious and thoughtful ideas conveyed and some comedy to lighten it up.

We have 4 main characters here. After a second unsuccessful IVF treatment, Seattle lesbian couple Angela and her partner Lee, who would have carried the pregnancy, hit a wall as to how to proceed with their relationship. Financially, they can’t afford to keep trying, and the prospect of another disappointment hurts too much. Their tenants and very close friends are a gay couple Chris and Min. Min is actually an heir to a multi national Korean firm, but his interest lies in fashion and art. Sadly his grandmother threatens him to call him back to Korea if he doesn't take over business. Min wants to marry Chris, but he is commitment-phobic (we later come to know that he has always been worried that he is not the right guy for Min who deserves much more). When Chris refuses to marry, Min and Lee come up with a plan of sham marriage. Min could marry Angela and Min would pay for IVF treatment. He can then legally stay in country and the grandma will also be happy. It’s a proposal that makes some sense on paper. But once Min’s grandmother decides to travel to the US unannounced and meet the bride-to-be, things get a little out of hand. She is much smarter than these 4 had thought and she quickly figures out that this marriage is sham and that they are a lesbian and a gay couple. Still she wants for Min to go ahead with the wedding and do a proper ceremony so that it gets published in Korean newspapers, which will keep grandpa happy to keep up the appearance. In return, grandma will not force Min to come back to Korea. With their cover blown and a powerful family member on their side, the wedding still moves forward, and an unexpected baby comes into the picture to make things even more complicated. Of course, in the end Chris changes his mind and marries Min in city hall, and everyone is back to their daily grind.

While the film is very successful is giving each of its primary characters their arcs and moneys to shine with detailing, it really lacks in the jokes department. I really feel this film would have worked a lot more if there were more funny moments here. Like the whole scene of Min and Angela's wedding. Or when Min gives everyone just one hour to hide anything that looks gay from the house and Angela eventually shouts "Everything is this house is gay". As much as there is a joyousness to the film and the relationships we witness on screen though, The Wedding Banquet is a far more dramatic affair than some may be expecting. The film honors Korean traditions beautifully and also somewhat funny without taking any shortcuts. The chemistry between its 4 leads is very good and laughs mostly come from Chris. I was a bit confused on why would he constantly refuse to marry Min (who eventually turned out to be my fav character with his dead pan expressions). But the film is more interesting when the lenses of the two side characters is taken into perspective. Min's no-nonsense grandma who is caught between her genuine desire to embrace her grandson and the disapproval of her husband and Angela's mother who overcompensates for her initial rejection of her daughter’s sexual orientation by becoming a staunch ally, glowing and sparkling with pride. The film has some well earned moments but the over dramatization in certain scenes rather than keeping them light and frothy came as a major missed expectation.  The film still manages to do a good job of reimagining the old classic with matters of cultural and sexual identity. I now just need to revisit the original classic. It will be a good opportunity to see to and review on my blog, since I saw that much before I started writing this. (6.5/10)