MURIEL'S WEDDING
A film review by Alex Fung
Copyright 1995 Alex Fung
CIBY 2000/Miramax - 1994 Starring Toni Collette, Bill Hunter, Rachel Griffiths Screenplay by P.J. Hogan Produced by Lynda House and Jocelyn Moorhouse Directed by P.J. Hogan Rated AA [Adult Accompaniment for those under fourteen] in Ontario for profanity and mature themes
Me: *** (out of four stars) Rhonda
After a successful run in Australia last year, and with much critical praise heaped upon it, MURIEL'S WEDDING opens into medium release this weekend in North America.
Muriel Heslop is a withdrawn, overweight young woman living in Porpoise Spit, Australia. She is often the target of her father's frequent rants at the family, and drowns out her feelings of inadequacy with ABBA music and fantasies of marriage. Her self-loathing is such that only being wed shall she prove herself to be a success; marriage will transform her into a new person who is respected and admired. After her four cliquey friends dump her, Muriel plots to follow them to a resort where they are celebrating the honeymoon of one of the girls, and MURIEL'S WEDDING unfolds from there.
Toni Collette plays Muriel in a winning performance, conveying both the sadness of her character and her desperate eagerness to be accepted. Collette gained a frightening 43 pounds in order to play the chubby title character. She has a natural screen presence and exudes charisma, easily winning the audience over with an honest, painful performance. Collette basically carries the film, appearing in almost every scene.
Muriel's father, Bill "The Battler" Heslop, is portrayed by Bill Hunter as a slick politician/developer. While chumming around with young fans and crowing 'you can't beat progress' (his slogan), Bill labels his family as worthless and embarrassments. Rachel Griffiths plays Rhonda, who becomes Muriel's cheeky new friend in the film. She has good chemistry with Collette, and the film suffers when Griffiths is off-screen. Muriel's tormenters, played by Pippa Grandison, Rosalind Hammond, Belinda Jarrett and Sophie Lee, are two-dimensional caricatures, all saucy, vain and bumblingly spiteful, though that is probably due to Hogan's scripting
MURIEL'S WEDDING is essentially a genre teen comedy with more intelligence and a lot of charm. Hogan's use of ABBA tunes (which virtually comprises the entire soundtrack) is interestingly appropriate, although its repetitiveness tires after awhile. Hogan's script is right on the mark in terms of proportionately mixing comedy with Muriel's earnest quest for acceptance, and the gorgeous scene with Muriel window-shopping beautifully illustrates the wonder that marriage has for her. The glaring pastel colours worn by the performers is an interesting touch. MURIEL'S WEDDING features a fine performance by Toni Collette and a charming, if a bit too straightforward and conventional story by P.J. Hogan. On my four star scale, I give MURIEL'S WEDDING three stars.
-- Alex Fung (aw220@freenet.carleton.ca)
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