Wedding Daze

Since ‘American Pie’, Jason Biggs has been the star of choice for many a US teen comedy in search of hapless hero. While aimed at a slightly older audience, ‘Wedding Daze’ casts him in the usual role, opening with a scene in which his character, Anderson, literally kills his girlfriend through the shock of a marriage proposal. Fast forward a year, and Anderson’s friend dares him to get back on the horse – so he proposes to waitress Katie (Isla Fisher). For various reasons, she says yes. It’s the first in a series of unlikely events that hold no particular interest in themselves, but do give rise to some amusing scenes, mostly riffing on the ‘Meet The Parents’ genre: while Anderson’s parents are suburban swingers on the quiet, Katie’s stepfather makes Jewish educational toys while her neurotic mother secretly pines for her imprisoned father (Joe Pantoliano). Only about half of the jokes work – those that don’t often prove painful – but the good ones are sharp, dark and sudden enough to draw out laughs of pleasant surprise. A fitfully enjoyable mess.