Mother of the Bride, directed by Mark Waters, and starring Brooke Shields, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove, Chad Michael Murray, Rachael Harris, and Sean Teale has officially landed on Netflix and it’s just a little below average. The rom-com genre has been around for decades, and while some cliches deserve a place in every other movie, not all of them should be stuffed into one, but that’s exactly what’s happened with Waters’ latest movie.
There are some good moments in Mother of the Bride but nothing is enough to actually make the movie stand out, despite Shields being the star of the movie, and looking stunning in every single frame. Nevertheless, here’s our review of the 90-minute rom-com that added nothing new to the beloved genre.
Talent Gets Wasted in Mother of the Bride
Mother of the Bride begins with the sweetest proposal between RJ and Emma but quickly dives into the main focus of the movie, the mother. Emma’s mother is truly one of a kind, and very attached to her daughter, so when Emma tells her the news about getting married, things aren’t too bad until the revelation that the wedding is only a month away!
This rom-com feels almost a little too quick-paced to begin with because, in less than 10 minutes of run time, the guests are already in Thailand as the preparations for the wedding begin. So far, Brooke Shields’ performance as the mother, Lana, has been a refreshing addition to the movie, and one that’s much needed to elevate this rom-com.
There’s no doubt that Mother of the Bride is a stunning movie to look at as the filming took place in Thailand, but beyond that, there’s nothing much to look forward it. The movie has awkward moments as RJ’s father and Emma’s mother previously dated, and now they’re back to sharing a space that calls for clumsiness, some nakedness, and a whole lot of nothing.
It is very easy to keep track of Mother of the Bride despite an ensemble cast because frankly, not a lot is happening during the movie. Of course, Emma has her moments of being an ungrateful daughter, whilst Lana has the opportunity to go on a date with Lucas, played by Chad Michael Murray, and who wouldn’t fall in love with him? Well, the answer is Lana.
Maybe Mother of the Bride would have been a little more unique if Lana ended up with Lucas, instead of her ex, Will, also RJ’s father. Like we said before, all the cliches of the genre have been stuffed in Mother of the Bride to a point where it simply can’t take it anymore. In the month of May, Netflix has a lot to offer, but Mother of the Bride doesn’t even begin to meet the benchmark.
The rom-com genre has evolved a lot in the last few years, which has given directors opportunities to explore new avenues, but sadly, that wasn’t the case in Mother of the Bride. The director stuck to the basics, but it still tanked. Nevertheless, it is always a treat to look at Brooke Shields and Rachel Harris!
Conclusion
Mother of the Bride wasn’t out cup of tea, however, if you decided to add this movie to your watchlist, we would love to know your thoughts on the same!