Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageThe Wedding Banquet (1993)
Director: Ang Lee
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Wai-Tung's life seems near perfect: a Taiwanese in New York, he's a natural at real estate, and shares an apartment with his long-time lover Simon (Lichtenstein). There's just one problem: he hasn't come out to his folks who still write from Taiwan of their desire for grandchildren. To forestall an arranged marriage, Wai-Tung persuades his tenant Wei-Wei (May Chin), a Shanghai woman in need of a Green Card, to join in a marriage of mutual convenience. His parents then announce they're coming for the wedding. Never patronising his characters, Ang Lee combines comedy, both subtle and raucous, with acute social asides. There's genuine pain and confusion amid the jokes, so that the bitter-sweet, tentatively positive coda packs real punch. Winston Chow's Wai-Tung is initially rather stilted, but the rest of the cast performs excellently, and the script is admirably matter-of-fact in its treatment of the threatened gay relationship.Author: GA
Cast & crew
Director: Ang Lee
Producer: Ted Hope, James Schamus, Ang Lee
Cast: Winston Chao, May Chin, Mitchell Lichtenstein, Sihung Lung, Ah-Leh Gua full cast
Duration: 108 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
What do you think?
Post your review now