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Father of the Bride/Father of the Bride Part II: 20th Anniversary Edition
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray ALL - America - Buena Vista Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Anthony Arrigo (15th July 2014). |
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The Film
 Although cinema is often viewed as escapist entertainment, some of the most enduring classics shine a light on life’s everyday occurrences. Most of today’s filmgoers are probably familiar with the now-classic Steve Martin comedy “Father of the Bride” (1991), but few may realize just how many times the story has been told. The tale of patriarchal woes first came about via a 1949 novel of the same name, written by Edward Streeter, before coming to life as a film starring Spencer Tracy and a young Elizabeth Taylor in 1950. Then, from 1961-62, it was done as a short-lived television series on CBS. The timeless story was eventually resurrected yet again, this time as a vehicle for the talents of Steve Martin and a cast of commendable actors, most notably the ever-insanely-hilarious Martin Short. The reason it has lasted so long is simple: this is a rite of passage that all families must go through. As the late, great film critic Roger Ebert put it in his favorable review, the film is “just everyday life, warmly observed”. Utilizing the right mixture of humor and heart, writer/director Charles Shyer’s picture is one of those roundly enjoyable films that many can relate to, and even those who can’t still enjoy. It’s classic Hollywood entertainment, easily digested by the masses. George Banks (Steve Martin) is your everyday family man, raising his suburban brood in a picturesque Americana home in beautiful Southern California. He and his wife Nina (Diane Keaton) have been raising their young son, Matty (Kieran Culkin), while their daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams), who has been away in Europe, is heading home after a long stay. Everyone is thrilled to have her back, until Annie drops a big bomb of news: she’s getting married to Bryan (George Newbern), a man she met in Rome. George immediately hates the guy, regardless of his good looks, affable charm, well-paying job, and clear love for Annie. He’s watching his little girl grow up right before his eyes and there isn’t a single thing he likes about it. Unable to stop this wedding train, George merely goes through the motions, meeting with Bryan’s eccentric parents, trying to accept the couple’s romance, and dealing with Franck (Martin Short), the most ostentatious, outrageous wedding planner ever put on this planet. Franck’s obsession with delivering a perfect wedding sends costs soaring, and with them George’s blood pressure. He finally has an epic meltdown over the packaging of hot dog buns (sometimes it’s the littlest thing…) before agreeing to come back to Earth and actively participate in making this wedding go off without a hitch. Once he opens his mind, George finds that he genuinely likes Bryan, and the only reason he was so off-put by the entire affair is because of his reluctance to see Annie become a woman who won’t have to solely rely on her father anymore. “Father of the Bride” is simply solid Hollywood filmmaking, capturing a universal theme and translating it perfectly. Steve Martin is expertly cast as the head of the household who wants to keep his family unit together, and he sees Bryan as nothing more than an interloper intent on ruining his little utopia. Sure, the comedy relies heavily on awkward situation humor that makes you want to cringe, but many of George’s actions are exaggerations of what most fathers probably think during a time like this. The film only occasionally veers into total absurdity, like when he and Nina go to meet Bryan’s parents, in their ridiculously large luxury mansion, and George can’t help but sneak a peek at their bank book on a trip to the bathroom (“it’s the seventh door on the left”), which in turn leads to a disastrous encounter with the family dogs and an unexpected dip in their swimming pool. Where Martin really excels is in his facial expressions, which perfectly capture his inner turmoil just bubbling beneath the surface. Martin has always been an ace at physical comedy without overplaying his hand, and this film allows him full reign to make the most of his talents. But he’s not the only one to deliver the laughs. Martin Short is, still to this day, one of the funniest men in show business. His flamboyance and willingness to completely throw himself into a character are what makes him such a force on screen. Franck is Short running wild at the top of his game; an Eastern European event planner with an accent so thick it turns a simple word like “cake” into something practically pornographic. He is George’s foil in ways Bryan is not, because Franck refuses to kowtow to George’s complaints, insisting at every turn that this wedding must be as fabulous as possible, no matter the cost. Once George has accepted the inevitable, the film gracefully goes through the expected motions until reaching a satisfying and obvious conclusion. Although, it was a bit odd that Annie literally left from the wedding at the Banks home to a waiting limo, ready to jet off for their honeymoon, and she never said goodbye to George. He gets a call from her before departing, but it would have been nice to see him get a little break after all the torment he caused himself. No matter, because he’s got even more on the way in the sequel. “Father of the Bride” was a box-office success, so of course the filmmakers were bound to give it another go-round. There was precedent, as the original 1950 film also received a sequel, “Father’s Little Dividend” (1951). “Father of the Bride Part II” (1995) arrived four years after the first film, and this time no one is getting married, which does make the title seem sort of pointless. Just like the 1951 sequel, this entry sees George forced back into panic mode as Annie and Bryan announce they’re having a baby. It isn’t easy for George to process this information – clearly, this guy can’t handle any major life events – and the prospect of being a grandfather sends him into midlife crisis mode. He dyes his hair, gets some new clothes, and decides to sell their home on a whim because a condo by the beach sounds so much cooler. The house winds up selling more quickly than expected, to a terse Middle Eastern named Mr. Habib (Eugene Levy), and the Banks’ are given a mere ten days to vacate thanks to a generous cash bonus Habib throws in. But their newfound freedom is short-lived when Nina learns she, too, is expecting thanks to a passionate night during George’s stint as a “younger” man. He buys back the home at a premium (in one of the film’s most ridiculous subplots) and so begins the rigors of taking care of two pregnant women at once, since Bryan was called out of the country temporarily. Now it’s all up to George to make sure things go smoothly. Of course, the film finds a way to weasel Franck back in there because, well, he’s just so damn funny and he killed it last time. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have much to do, and a major opportunity is missed by not allowing him to run wild at the baby shower he plans. After many false alarms and unneeded trips to the hospital, eventually both women deliver their children and George simultaneously becomes both a father once again and a grandfather. It isn’t easy to recapture the magic of a successful comedy with a sequel, and this film is no exception. Martin does all he can to carry the picture, but nothing here feels as fresh as the last one. It’s like a watered-down version of what came before. George continues to focus on the negative, but after the last film wrapped it seemed as though he’d accepted the life Annie and Bryan were planning to live. Did he not think children would be a part of that eventually? The idea of being seen as an old man due to “grandpa” status makes some sense, as does George’s slapdash attempt to regain his youth, but most of the film’s story just falls flat. The selling of the Banks’ home seems like nothing but filler because it holds virtually no significance to the overall plot. They sell the home and buy it back almost immediately, and while it’s great to see Eugene Levy playing a meatier role this time around (he was very briefly seen in the first film as a potential wedding singer) it doesn’t excuse the lame writing. It’s the age-old sequel curse – try to make it like the first one, but different, and fail by not making it different enough. It’s an easy watch, just not nearly as enduring. Rumors popped up this year that a planned third film would be coming, this time focused on a gay wedding (Matty, I assume, would be the gay one), but Steve Martin shot those down as soon as they sprang up. As tempting as it is to go back to the well for one more drink, another sequel probably wouldn’t work any better. And you know the script would employ every gay cliché and stereotypical joke imaginable. Been there, seen that way too many times. “Father of the Bride” is just as relevant and humorous now as it was over twenty years ago, and even though the sequel doesn’t come close to matching it in terms of emotion and laughs, there are a handful of moments that make it a fun entry nonetheless. But George should get the rest he’s deserved, so, please, no more sequels. “Father of the Bride” film rating: A- “Father of the Bride Part II” film rating: B-
Video
“Father of the Bride” first hit DVD way back in the nascent days of the format, and from the looks of the film’s 1.85:1 1080p 24/fps AVC MPEG-4 encoded image nobody bothered to create a new master. Just what exactly is going on over at Disney Home Video HQ these days? Their inconsistency in releases is frustrating. Let’s get the bad out of the way first. The image looks totally dated, with a moderate-to-heavy amount of grain, weak contrast, color fluctuations, anemic black levels and a lack of sharpness in medium and wide shots, though that is likely inherent to the cinematography. It’s evident the only effort made to bring this title to Blu-ray was encoding it in HD. On the better side of things, there are some very clear nuances available in the image, such as the minor dents seen on George’s sleek black car. Also, facial close-ups yield some great minute details and look befitting of an HD image. Textures, too, look promising in many shots. As for the sequel, “Father of the Bride Part II” also a 1.85:1 1080p 24/fps AVC MPEG-4 encoded image overall looks stronger in some key areas. Colors are more accurate and aren’t in a constant state of flux, grain is a little less heavy (though it’s also bordering on noise at times), and it has detail about as good as what was seen in the last film. The photography is still a bit soft, and lacking in depth. Neither film is a winner on Blu-ray, which is a shame because if Disney had put even a small amount of effort into remastering these titles they could’ve looked so much better.
Audio
Both films feature an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound track (48kHz/24-bit), and both of them are of the same passable quality. Their greatest strength is allowing Alan Silvestri’s classic Hollywood scoring to be enjoyed in lossless audio. His themes are wonderfully woven into the picture, deftly carrying the comedic elements as effortlessly as the drama. The source music, featuring many age-old classics, comes through with superb fidelity. Dialogue is centered and clear, with no deficiencies. Some discreet sound effects add a decent bit of range to the proceedings, giving the rear speakers something to chew on from time to time. The LFE track mostly remains silent, only humming with life during a few appropriate moments. The sound design overall isn’t very dynamic, but for films of this ilk it does the job viewers would expect. There are also French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound track included. Subtitles are available in English for the hearing impaired, French, and Spanish.
Extras
Continuing on with their inconsistency, this three-disc set is a mixed bag in the extras department. On the Blu-ray, the first film gets a couple of minor features, while anything more for the sequel is left to rot on the included DVD. The supplements include an audio commentary, featurette, and interviews. DISC ONE: BLU-RAY Aside from both films being mastered on this disc, the primary extras are for the first film in the series: The big bonus here is an audio commentary with co-writer & director Charles Shyer, who is a wealth of information. That wonderfully acerbic opening monologue from Martin took 35 takes to get right, with the actor getting a little more inebriated with each go. Shyer is lively and informative, discussing every possible element of the casting, script, locations, and more. An easy, breezy track worth a listen. “An Invitation to Father of the Bride” (480p) is a featurette that runs for 10 minutes and 36 seconds. This ‘90s era EPK introduces the cast and gives a story overview, while the best parts feature Martin & Short riffing off each other. “Martin & Short Interview Each Other” (480p) is an interview between the two comedic thesps, which is just as absurdly hilarious as any other time they’re together. Short is such a riot. DISC TWO: DVD This is a DVD copy of “Father of the Bride”, featuring the same bonus features outlined above. DISC THREE: DVD This is a DVD copy of “Father of the Bride Part II”, and it includes a couple of features Disney didn’t want to try squeezing onto the Blu-ray. “Production Story” (1.33:1) is a featurette that runs for 4 minutes and 20 seconds. This is your standard EPK, hitting all the usual bases. The film’s theatrical trailer (1.33:1) runs for 2 minutes and 35 seconds. “Just Between Friends” (1.33:1) is an interview that runs for 3 minutes and 52 seconds. This is more of Martin & Short fooling around, interviewing each other about their roles in the sequel. Note that the back cover says there is an audio commentary with Steve Martin & Martin Short, but there isn’t one. Bummer.
Packaging
The three-disc set comes housed in a Blu-ray keep case, with two of the discs housed on a swinging hub, while the third is in the usual position inside the case.
Overall
“Father of the Bride” is a contemporary comedy classic – rightly so – and it’s great to finally see it hit hi-def… even if the results are less than spectacular. Steve Martin operates fully within his wheelhouse, showcasing his trademark wit and physical humor. Supported by a strong cast of players, it’s one of those films anyone young to old can watch and laugh at with ease. While the sequel isn’t nearly as good, there are enough moments that make its inclusion here a nice bonus. It’s just a shame Disney isn’t interested in treating their catalog titles with more respect.
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