Here Comes The Bride... (Muriel's Wedding (DVD))

Member Name: BizzyB

Product:	Muriel's Wedding (DVD)
Date:	17/10/01 (568 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Abba Soundtrack, Some superb perfomances

Disadvantages: Muriel isn't all that endearing

In the 1990s the Australian film industry produced some of the most distinctive and successful comedies of the time, memorably Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Strictly Ballroom. The 1994 comedy Muriel's Wedding was one of these greatly anticipated Antipodean treats.

The film became more than a mere cinema experience as the depiction of the Abba loving Aussie culture was soaked up worldwide and heralded as the spark that started the Abba revival though did they ever really go away? The impact of this film, launched on the back of other success Australian film exports, was quite stunning given its relatively unknown cast, most notably it was only the leading lady's, Toni Collette, second feature film. I have now seen the film three times, and with each viewing my opinion hasn't as much changed it is probably better to describe it as evolving.

OVERVIEW

So a quick over view of the film and don't worry - I'll try my best not to spoil it for you!

Muriel's Wedding was both written and directed by Australian P.J Hogan, who developed his writing skills on that oh so great Aussie series The Flying Doctors.

The story of Muriel's Wedding revolves around the unhappy and unfulfilled life of Muriel Heslop, wonderfully played by Toni Collette who oozes natural comic ability in this film. Muriel comes from what all the best talk shows would call a dysfunctional family and if they had pommy relatives they would surely be Wayne and Waynetta Slob. A highly patriarchal family, Muriel's father, Bill Heslop (Bill Hunter) is a bigwig in local politics who's self-belief staggers belief. A man with more ambition than ability he is crippling embarrassed by his under achieving family. His wife Betty (a superb performance by Jeanie Drynan) is meek and nervy which is surely not the consort such a budding politician desires. His children are neither academic nor ambitious not least of all Muriel. His 'enc
ouragement' is crude, harsh and more often than not humiliating which only adds to Muriel's feelings of self-esteem as low snake's belly.

The Heslop clan live in the Australia backwater of Porpoise Spit. It is with the naming of this town that we see why Australian humour works so well. There is a level of good humoured self-depreciation that is unique to our Aussie cousins.

Backwater it may be but Porpoise Spit has its own hierarchy and social elite not least amongst the young girls. Muriel's 'friends' are all the things she wishes to be, thin, beautiful, admired and with a good chance of walking down the aisle and becoming that hallowed status of such a community - a Mrs. In the opening of the film it is quite obvious that Muriel's main function for her so-called friends is as a stooge and even they tire of her making them look good.

Muriel tries to escape this life by immersing herself in the songs of Abba, songs of joy and hope that she takes as the blueprint for what her life should be. Whatever she has to do to escape Porpoise Spit and live the Dancing Queen dream, she will do. On her journey she meets another Porpoise Spit disgruntled soul who shares her dream of something better and they vow to find it together.

However well her new life may seem to be developing with its turmoil's on the way Muriel cannot let go of her most precious dream. To show the Porpoise Spit clique that she can be one of them by the ultimate demonstration - getting married. The question is will Muriel realise what is truly important in life?

ACTORS
It is true to say there are no weak performances in this film. Toni Collette is particularly admirable in the role of Muriel for she won the Australian equivalent of an Oscar. She is said to have gained 40lbs for the role and it has to be said she carried the extra weight well and by that you would have thought she'd always been that size. Her manner
isms, her obvious low self-esteem in the way she holds herself was utterly convincing. And hats off to an actress who not only put the weight on but done a sateen jump suit toboot. Possibly Collette's greatest quality is her facial expressions which have an almost animated comic quality. Her fleeting eye glances and contorted, snorting laughter are perfectly Muriel.

Rachel Griffith's gives a strong performance as the Porpoise Spit rebel, Rhonda who has her own battle to win. Griffith gives the character a great feeling of strength and convinces the viewer of her disgust at the hands of the clique girls.

A further mention must be given to the actors who make up the Heslop family notably Bill Hunter and Jeanie Drynan as Bill and Betty Heslop. They perform a brand of character not often seen in today's comedies and very much the mark of the Australian humour that has become to popular. Hunter positively drips the slimy façade of the self-obsessed man that Bill Heslop is. Drynan's nervous demeanor perfectly represents Muriel's downtrodden and fragile mother.

SCRIPT

Muriel's Wedding does boast a good script with some classic one liners though it does not rely on the heavy and often overbaked humour we see from many more mainstream comedies. Hogan has not been afraid to let the scene do the talking so to speak and recognises that the characters are more than the words and with the strength of the actors is able to allow them develop fully. A great deal of the humour is situational and without doubt the scene that steals the show is Muriel and Rhonda's miming performance of 'Dancing Queen' - surely a cinema classic.

LOCATION/COSTUME

The setting of the Heslop home is wonderful, you can almost smell that deep fried chip smell you just now fills the house. There are no faults with the individual sets though I do think many of the locations were overused and this is one of my few cr
iticisms. Maybe being British I can't quite appreciate the Australian image of the 'Porpoise Spits' in the world but thankfully the portrayal of its inhabitants sums it up. What I felt was missing was the contrast with the city. On reflection this may be on purpose and represent that it wasn't the city that changes the characters but the change in their own attitude that shapes their surroundings.

The use of costume is particularly special to this film. At times it is bordering on the farcical yet somehow it never oversteps the mark or take the film into the realms of unreality. Yet you have to ask yourself just where would Muriel find a sateen jumpsuit at a moments notice?! Of course revolving around weddings and Muriel's fantasy there are some stunning meringues to behold yet if she ever makes it down the aisle what will she wear? Well you may just be surprised.

OVERALL

Well so far you may have gathered I have somewhat raved about this film so are wondering why only four stars. Well the reason is this. I never warmed to the character of Muriel or developed the sense of sympathy or felt a bond that would have carried me through the film. At time the character is downright annoying and I do feel I want someone to kick her up the backside. Whether or not she sees the error of her thinking in the end is secondary to her introduction. Once again on reflection, this is probably due to more intelligent writing on Hogan's part than on my ability as a viewer. What lies at the centre of Muriel is that whether she likes it or not, there is a great deal of her character that she shares with her selfish father. So I declare that that 5th star is more likely to be missing due to my own lazy wants for a simple film than any fault of the production itself!

That said, it is a tiny point which should not distract from an otherwise seamless film. When it comes on the television again I will no doubt watch it for the fou
rth time as it contains some of the most timeless and hilarious scenes of any movie and with every viewing you grow to understand the characters that bit more.

As comedies go it is certainly worth a viewing. It is an intelligent comedy and if you've enjoyed those other Australian comedies I've mentioned I would certainly suggest you see it. It is light-hearted and amusing if you are looking for a laugh but not slapstick or sickly sweet so certainly don't write it off as 'one of those chick flicks'.

Its certificate rating of 15 seems appropriate - there is very little in the line of sex, violence and swearing to cause great offence though it does cover some more adult themes. I have seen the video for sale at around £13 though no doubt there's some better discounts on searching. I'm sure it will be popping up in the holiday television schedules and I strongly suggest you get the popcorn in ready.

Well that's the end of this opinion so in keeping with the theme I think we should toast the health of the bride :o)

(c) Rebecca Hobbs (BizzyB/BizzyBek)

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