Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Thank You
    • 4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
    • 3999. The Pianist (2002)
    • 3998. Philadelphia (1993)
    • 3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
    • 3996. The Green Mile (1999)
    • 3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
    • 3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»2365. Serial (Bad) Weddings (2014)

    2365. Serial (Bad) Weddings (2014)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on November 29, 2018 2014, 8 - 10, 90-99 mins, Comedy, France, Movies Of 2018, Nov 18, Review
    8.0 Brilliant
    • Acting 8.0
    • Directing 7.9
    • Story 8.2
    • User Ratings (2 Votes) 10

    Starring: Christian Clavier, Chantal Lauby, Élodie Fontan

    Director: Philippe de Chauveron

    Running Time: 97 mins


    Serial (Bad) Weddings (Qu’est-ce qu’on a fait au Bon Dieu?) is a French film about a conservative Catholic couple whose lives are turned upside down as they see each of their daughters marrying men of different religions and ethnicities.

    On the one hand a film with a topical and very relatable central theme, on the other an immensely funny comedy, Serial (Bad) Weddings was an absolutel riot from start to finish. Taking on an occasionally controversial and often sensitive subject matter about racism, multiculturalism and the generation gap, the film proves a fascinating and pitch-perfect look into the debates surrounding all of those issues and more, yet with the added bonus of a whole host of brilliant performances, and consistently hilarious comedy from beginning to end.

    There’s quite a lot to talk about with this movie, but I think the best place to start out is by looking at its main themes. With a conservative man and woman at the centre, there comes an immense clash of generations and ideologies as they see their four daughters marry four men of backgrounds completely alien to their own traditional expectations.

    In that, the film delves into the ever-hot topics of multiculturalism and racism, and proves a riveting and insightful balancing act as it shows the perspective of those that are often derided as dinosaurish for their views. What’s fascinating about the movie is that, while it rightly picks up on where racism and prejudice go too far, it never goes overboard with its criticism, and instead gives an excellent balance between its pitch-perfect political discourse and making those characters still as likable and human as any other, something that I really appreciated.

    The topics are something that everybody is affected by on a daily basis, so the issues that the film raises are hugely relatable and fascinating to watch portrayed on screen. Of course, it is a comedy, and there’s a simpler, more relaxed side to affairs as well, but as far as offering up a genuinely engrossing and relevant take on contemporary society, I was hugely impressed by this movie.

    On the flipside, as interesting a social commentary as the film surprisingly proves, it’s just as hilarious a comedy from beginning to end. Filled to the brim with jokes that range from simple, silly slapstick to proper satire, I was laughing right the way through here, thanks to the fresh and very genuine nature of the comedy.

    Because, while it does have moments of pleasantly silly slapstick here and there, the film hits a perfect balance when it comes to using jokes about racism, making them both funny and still relevant and important for that central theme.

    People have criticised the movie for playing up racist stereotypes, but in my view, it’s a film that uses such stereotypes to flip back on those who use them, and while it has pokes a bit of harmless fun at a range of cultures and people, including the French themselves, the main purpose of the humour is to put these stereotypes into a ridiculous context, and thereby downplay the malicious effect that some may intend them to have.

    As a result, the film is very close to the bone when it comes to its satirical humour, but for me, it hits a brilliant sweet spot that makes the comedy both absolutely hilarious as well as genuinely valuable for the development of its main theme, something I can’t say we see often from mainstream comedies like this too often at all.

    In the end, then, I had a huge amount of fun with Serial (Bad) Weddings. With the exception of its admittedly terrible English title, it’s a smart and interesting film with a very relevant and well-tempered social commentary, furthered by brilliantly written humour throughout that hits close to home, but still proves silly and funny enough to make you laugh throughout, and that’s why I’m giving it an 8.0 overall.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. From January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2022, he watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    8.2

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    8.2
    December 25, 2022

    3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

    5.6
    December 10, 2022

    3969. Falling For Christmas (2022)

    6.9
    December 4, 2022

    3956. The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)

    5.4
    December 3, 2022

    3954. Disenchanted (2022)

    7.4
    December 3, 2022

    3953. Meet Cute (2022)

    7.6
    November 23, 2022

    3934. Do Revenge (2022)

    7.0
    November 18, 2022

    3929. The Wonder (2022)

    6.7
    November 13, 2022

    3924. See How They Run (2022)

    Recommended Movies
    8.4
    Review
    February 24, 20130

    65. Dogma (1999)

    8.5
    Review
    August 28, 20150

    1071. Annie Hall (1977)

    8.0
    Review
    August 30, 20190

    2663. Wildlife (2018)

    8.1
    Review
    February 5, 20180

    2045. The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)

    8.1
    Review
    November 18, 20160

    1552. Meet The Parents (2000)

    Popular Posts
    December 31, 2022

    Thank You

    8.2
    December 31, 2022

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8
    December 30, 2022

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2
    December 29, 2022

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    7.5
    December 28, 2022

    3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

    9.1
    December 27, 2022

    3996. The Green Mile (1999)

    7.6
    December 26, 2022

    3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.