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AFTER THE WEDDING – Review by Elizabeth Whittemore

Liz Whittemore 0 Comments , , , , ,
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Secrets only lead to heartbreak. After The Wedding is a stunning gender-swap remake putting the focus on mothers. A spotlight is shown upon the choices a woman makes in both career and as a caretaker. This film has a beautiful commentary on generational relationships as well as the steps we take to maintain image and peace. The cast is truly phenomenal and the cinematography breathtaking. After The Wedding is a relatable story from every angle. The path of our lives cannot be controlled no matter how hard we try.

This script is as beautifully complex as real life. You can make all the plans in the world but life has a funny way of doing whatever it wants. A wedding is a huge event, not just for the bride and groom but their entire family. It comes with as much stress as it does joy. When key communication breaks down because there are secrets, all hell can break loose. There are so many secrets in After the Wedding each character has the emotional right to spin out, be irrational, and even grieve what might have been.

Performances across the board are outstanding. Michelle Williams is stunning as she is forced to relive heartbreaking choices. Billy Crudup must come to grips with the lies he has perpetrated for love. Julianne Moore has to let go of the control she’s always not so secretly had. Abby Quinn has a vulnerability of a much more experienced actress. I look forward to seeing her (and hearing her sing) again soon. The entire cast gives truly nuanced performances that are vulnerable and raw. Continue reading…

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Liz Whittemore

Liz Whittemore is the author of AWFJ's I SCREAM YOU SCREAM blog. She is Co-Managing Editor and writes for www.ReelNewsDaily.com, hosts the podcast Girls On Film and is a contributing writer for Cinemit.com and The ArtsWireWeekly. Now New York-based, she was born and raised in northern Connecticut. She's a graduate of The American Musical & Dramatic Academy, and has performed at Disneyland and famed Hartford Children's Theater, and been a member of NYC's Boomerang Theater, Connecticut's Simsbury Summer Theater, Virginia's Offstage Theatre, where she also directed. Her film credits include Suburban Skies and Surrender. In 2008, she shot Jabberwocky, a documentary now in post-production. Liz is still a children's theatre director and choreographer. She's working on an updated adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and a series of children's books.