Review: The Big Wedding (15)

Justin Zackham’s lacklustre English-language remake is laden with Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated talent with impeccable comedic credentials including Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl and Robin Williams. It’s an embarrassment of acting riches. Alas, where it matters – plot, character development, hearty belly laughs – The Big Wedding leaves us feeling short-changed.

Perhaps something was lost in translation but Zackham’s script lacks snappy dialogue and the aisles are crammed with broad stereotypes.

At the centre of the madness is Alejandro Griffin (Ben Barnes), the Colombian-born adopted son of Don (Robert De Niro) and Ellie (Diane Keaton), who is poised to marry Missy O’Connor (Amanda Seyfried).

As the big day beckons, Alejandro has a huge favour to ask his adoptive parents, who are now divorced: he needs them to pretend that they are still married so that his biological mother, a devout Catholic called Madonna (Patricia Rae) who is flying in for the wedding, won’t be offended. Don, who now lives with Bebe (Susan Sarandon), and Ellie reluctantly agree to go along with the charade. Once Madonna arrives with her daughter Nuria (Ana Ayora) in tow, one little white lie stacks atop another. The Big Wedding is a frothy and harmless confection that squanders the on-screen talent.