Raif has returned home to England from his world travels to be the Best Man at his brother’s impending nuptials. The siblings are total opposites.  Whilst Raif has been partying non-stop these past few years, his uptight older brother Tim has a very responsible job in merchant banking and is now anxious to settle down and start a family of his own.  To Raif’s utter surprise he discovers that his brother’s fiance is none other than Saskia who used to the wildest good-time girl at the high school they all went too. She has evidently become ‘respectable’ since her once common mother snagged herself a millionaire to marry and not only provide her with a rather grand new lifestyle but is also now bank-rolling the extravagant wedding that is being planned.

Raif announces to his brother that in the way of a gift he is going to make a video of the entire wedding starting with the six weeks of preparations that are just about to begin.  And as the fun commences so does all the drama as Saskia’s status obsessed mother is determined that regardless of what the ‘happy couple’ think/want that this is the going to be the Wedding of The Year in the whole County. This is England after all (Cheshire in fact) where the nouveau riche still attempt to jump start their elevation in what is still very much a class obsessed society obsessed. It does in fact give the mother the best part in this very light but likable comedy as her pretentious attempts to go ‘posh’ are both wonderfully hilarious and sad.  And the only one in this unfolding drama that can ever get close to matching her is her own elderly mother who has the sharpest and wittiest ripostes in the whole piece.

There is nothing extraordinary about the plot as the moment that Saskia realizes that she is still very much a party girl at heart then it’s kind of obvious that she has picked the wrong brother.  The question is, will there be ever be a time when the video camera is not recording that she can face up to reality amongst all the silliness of this overblown wedding ?

This is the type of easy-on-eye gentle romantic comedies that Brits do well.  Helmed by Nigel Cole whose resume includes ‘The Calendar Girls’, ‘Saving Grace’ and ‘Made in Dagenham’ and written by local Cheshire man Tim Firth who penned ‘Kinky Boots’ as well as ‘Calendar Girls’.  This may not be very best of its genre, but it’s unquestionably very entertaining, thanks mainly to some great performances from this talented Brit cast.  Harriet Walter is pitch perfect as the Mother, and Miriam Margolyes (who could never put a foot wring in my book) plays the grandmother superbly. Lucy Punch was really funny as Saskia, as was stand up comedian Rufus Hound playing Raif … and credit too for Scottish actress Michelle Gomez for her wonderful turn as the ex Flight Attendant who was the crazy Wedding Planner.

A perfect date night movie for all anglophiles, especially the ones who are not considering getting married.

Available at Amazon

★★★★★★★