When the overly doting father (Will Ferrell) of a bride-to-be and an overprotective big sister (Reese Witherspoon) to another bride-to-be double book an exclusive sentimental island for the weddings of the most important people in their lives… well, what would you know…zany antics ensue.You’re Cordially Invitedtakes up the mantle of the wedding-fiasco comedy, a tried and true formula. Pop a few dynamic stars along with a cast of talented character actors and comedians into a ‘most important day of our lives’ setting where Murphy’s Law reigns supreme and let the laughs roll in.
This version of the formula, written and directed by comedy veteran Nicholas Stoller, takes a familiar approach, but instead focuses not on the couple at the center of the plot, but rather the eccentric characters in their lives struggling with the ‘big change’ coming.
Competing for the Best ‘Special Day’
You’re Cordially Invited
You’re Cordially Invited follows a woman planning her sister’s wedding and a father organizing his daughter’s nuptials, who discover their ceremonies are double-booked at a remote resort on a Georgia island. As both parties agree to share the venue, unforeseen chaos and comedic disaster unfold.
Weddings are a somewhat universal experience, and they have in recent decades become larger and larger affairs with massive budgets, stakes, and expectations. They mark the passage of time as well as changes in family structures, and the images and moments stay with everyone involved forever. Which is why they serve as such a perfect breeding ground for family drama (Rachel Getting Married) and comedic antics (Father of the Bride).
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The double booking of a venue with only space for one wedding is the source of the tension and comedy inYou’re Cordially Invited. The brides of the two weddings, Neve (Meredith Hagar) and Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan), are put on the back burner in favor of Ferrell’s Jim and Witherspoon’s Margot. Stoller pits the two against each other as they compete to make their respective families' wedding day the better ‘best day ever.’ Of course, as expected, they seem to have their own romance brewing.
Will Ferrell Goes Above & Beyond with a Charismatic Reese Witherspoon
You’re Cordially Invitedrelies on the brilliance of Will Ferrell’s comedic presence to carry countless moments. His ability to get a laugh with a simple expression, look, or delivery of a phrase is his superpower. Even when the written situation isn’t delivering the comedy goods, Ferrell can create it on his own like a stellar sports star who can just take the ball and run the offense all by himself.
Witherspoon’s charisma and presence have always been off the charts, and in this one she leans back into the archetype she embodied in many successful entries before. Margot is a lonely high achiever who ditches the southern comfort of home for the big city, a character that seemingly combines a few classic Witherspoon roles.
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The real magic finally happens later in the film when the characters slow their antics down. Ferrell and Witherspoon connect in a more human way as they’re reminded of the often overlooked and haunting truth that weddings reveal: that time is running out for us all. It’s at that moment when Witherspoon’s tough-as-nails demeanor cracks; followed, of course, by an impeccably timed joke from Ferrell.
Some Good Gags, More Missed Opportunities
Poor brides Neve and Jenni get overlooked, embarrassed, physically damaged, and reduced to tears many times. Despite all that, though, they learn to love deeper and find the real core of their relationships with their spouses-to-be and family units such as they are. Ah, the magic healing properties of ceaseless physical disasters.You’re Cordially Invitedis sure to get laughs, but mostly it’s through the style and the performances, not necessarily through great dialogue or elaborately set-up situations and payoffs.
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There are a few running gags that work really well, like the regional mockery. Southern culture comes under fire, as do the issues of coastal California. Yet these gags, like most of the comedy in the movie, rest on the skill of the performers to deliver them and not the writing, which is often lacking in real situational structure. The wedding being double booked is the setup, but it’s resolved rather quickly. It never seems to pose enough of an issue.
The main source of conflict is the competition between Ferrell and Witherspoon. Weirdly enough, the scale of the sabotage and the ‘pranks’ they pull doesn’t grow; it actually has a downward trajectory in scale. Plus, the characters from each wedding don’t seem to clash much when the obvious culture clash (between liberal California and the conservative South) was sitting right there the whole time. In some ways, the two weddings seem to fit perfectly together and the conceit of the plot isn’t actually an inconvenience.
Too Much Hugging, Too Much Learning
You’re Cordially Invitedsuffers from the urge to give every movie multiple characters who learn powerful lessons and demonstrate real growth. Witherspoon’s Margot and Ferrell’s Jim both have to really transform over the course of the story. As if that wasn’t enough, Witherspoon’s mother, Flora (Celia Watson), also reveals her long-seeded issues with her mother in a tearful scene, and one of the grooms (Jimmy Tatro) also has to get some things off his chest.
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It may be the pressure for every movie to hit big in four quadrants, or a trend away from simpler comedies designed to build the laughs and not worry as much about every character arc. Whatever the cause, the 109-minute runtime is packed, and that could arguably be to the detriment of accomplishing the main thing — making us laugh a lot.
At the same time, pulling off all of this is no small task, andYou’re Cordially Invitedmanages to do most things pretty well, even if it seems to merely echo the hilarity of great wedding comedies of the past without hitting the same high notes. Then again, it does feature a pretty good cameo by an alligator. From Amazon MGM Studios, Stoller Global Solutions, Hello Sunshine, and Gloria Sanchez Productions,You’re Cordially Invitedbegins streaming on Prime Video starting January 30th. Watch it through the link below:
