“Love, Weddings & Other Disasters” is a multi-story romantic comedy about the people who work on weddings to create the perfect day for a loving couple – while their own relationships are outlandish, odd, crazy, and far from perfect.
If ever there was a film that could possibly display the comedy and tragedy of unequally yoked couples, then this definitely is one for the books. It opens up with a gut-wrenching view of a couple who have supposedly agreed to jump out of a helicopter, but in hindsight, it appears only one of them was in agreement, and scaling back once you’re out there seems to be an impossible option. The argument between the couple results in a mid-air breakup that results in them plowing to the ground in the midst of a wedding. Jessie (Maggie Grace), who seems to be the one responsible for the discord, gains immediate viral notoriety as the cameras catch every bit of their dramatic descent.
After the most recent predicament unravels, Jessie, who is still embarrassed by the incident, finds herself trying to reinvent her wedding-planning business as well as her relationship status by laying low until she meets a future bride who wants her to recreate the event or find something just as newsworthy in order to give her the ultimate wedding experience. Academy award-winning actors Diane Keaton (Sara) and Jeremy Irons (Lawrence Phillips) seem to be the next disaster waiting to happen as their odd pairing showcases itself when the two are set up for a blind date and Lawrence doesn’t realize that Sara is actually blind until she wipes out the décor that Lawrence, a high-end caterer was setting up for. When Lawrence tries to blow her off, she uses her artsy and humorous appeal to let him know that she is aware of his attempt to rid himself of her, and eventually, she uses her charm to woo him into her life and capture his heart. In another totally unrelated event, Tour Bus guide Captain Ritchie (Andrew Bachelor) is on a witchhunt to chase down a tattooed female passenger that he has fallen head over heels with and recruits the whole town to find her and make him a happier man. In the most ridiculous turnabout, all of the misguided relationships are eventually tied to a reality show contest about Crash Couples who are chained together and are vying to win a one million dollar prize.
While there is no apparent theme in this film other than unpredictability, writer, director, and actor Dennis Dugan, has definitely found a reason to assemble this cast and attempt to create a storyline although one may wonder exactly what it is. Admittedly though, this scatterbrained offering, while being totally fragmented, does offer simple messages about opposites attracting and love finding its way. On a totally off-beaten path, but only if you have the patience to sit through it, will you truly be able to tie all the loose ends of this insanely chaotic diaspora and attempt to make it make sense.
Now available on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) and DVD
