The Wedding Banquet
Bleecker Street
Over the last decade, Andrew Ahn has proven himself to be a defining queer artist. Engaging authentic portrayals of the complexity of the modern queer experience, Ahn has crafted moving looks both of queer trauma and queer joy in a way few voices have been able to accomplish. Ahn's newest feature, a remake of Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet, continues the work Ahn has done in Spa Night and Fire Island to translate this unique lived experience onto the big screen. The film follows Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) and Lee (Lily Gladstone), long-term partners who are in the process of trying to have their first child through IVF treatment. After a failed attempt, the pair wants to try again but struggles to come up with the money for another round of treatment. At the same time, Min (Han Gi-chan) and Chris (Bowen Yang), a gay couple who share Lee's house, go through their own problems as Min's Uncle is going to force Min to return to Korea. To try and find a way to stay in the United States, Min proposes to Chris, but Chris refuses, saying he is not ready for their relationship to take that step. Min looks for a new solution and finds it with Angela; the plan being that Min will marry Angela in a green-card marriage and in return, pay for Lee's IVF treatment. The plan seems to be safe until Min's family, spearheaded by his grandma Ja-Young (Youn Yuh-jung), travels to throw an extravagant Korean wedding banquet, forcing Min and Angela to convince his family that this is real.
While more extraordinary in plot and focus than Ahn's previous projects, The Wedding Banquet maintains Ahn's mature voice and meaningful focus. While the film naturally leads to comedic moments as these individuals have to hide the truth of their situation, the actual core of the film, much of the substance of its 103-minute runtime, is far more emotional and deep. Through each of these couples, Ahn finds unique topics to reflect on and discuss. For Angela and Lee, these topics include parenthood and generational trauma. While Lee is all in on the idea of starting a family, Angela has reservations stemming back to her own traumatic childhood and the dysfunctional relationship she has with her mother. Angela worries if she will continue this lineage of trauma.
While this is not an inherently queer concept, plenty of straight individuals go through the same questions and struggles, this is a lived experience that disspoportionatly affects the LGBTQ+ community. Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt University recently found that 83% of LGBTQ+ individuals report going through at least one adverse childhood experience in their youth, compared to 64% of straight individuals. Ahn specifically focuses on the unique struggles of coming out and the process of conceptualizing self-identity in a space where there is a lack of trust and safety.
This is part of the brilliance of Ahn as a filmmaker. Taking a universal context and homing in on a specific queer fold within that concept does two different thing. The first is to provide a point of connection for all audience members. Even if the specific context is baked in queerness, others can relate and empathize, building a bridge of understanding. The second is to speak to the unique way in which LGBTQ+ identity interacts with this topic, offering LGBTQ+ individuals the chance to see their own distinctive journeys portrayed on the big screen, which can be incredibly empowering. Especially in a time where queer identity is under attack and is being erased from so many spaces, art like this can be an invaluable tool for battling feelings of isolation.
The drama of Min and Chris is far more nuanced. LGBTQ+ individuals are forced to exist in a society that has built expectations of love and life based on the flawed expectations of straightness and tradition. This pathway is constantly being challenged and tested, with individuals challenging the basic concepts of commitment, love, and family. Chris is not able to identify why he doesn't want to marry Min, and is left wandering, questioning his feelings. Chris is forced to reckon with his place in life, questioning his purpose and pathway with a wonderfully complex yet often quiet performance by Yang to bring this inner journey out.
Similar to the drama of Angela and Lee, these core emotions are felt by many, but again, the film works their focus to speak specifically to an LGBTQ+ context. These dramas are often presented through thoughtful and quiet moments that almost always turn back to the power of connection and community. From small moments of physical touch between partners to larger and louder showers of love from the wider LGBTQ+ community, Ahn brings to life this duality of the queer experience wonderfully.
These stories are given breath by a wonderful cast. Tran sees her best work to date, offering an emotional vulnerability and depth not seen before in her filmography. Gi-chan also steps into a leading role near flawlessly, similar to Yang, often giving a more held-back performance that wears his emotions in his small expressions rather than grand displays. Min feels hurt by Chris' rejection of his proposal and is desperate to find a way to maintain the life he has built, but is now also forced to question. While some might be surprised to see Gladstone pushed to a more supporting role, she continues to excel on screen with a tender presence that plays wonderfully off of Tran.
While all this depth works to give The Wedding Banquet a deeper emotional core, it also cannot be overstated just how fun the film can be. Many of these performers have experience working in comedy, and the film naturally blends in plenty of jokes and entertaining situations, creating a viewing experience that is also extremely watchable and fun. This is a great movie to see with friends and is a wonderful reminder that a movie can be both comedic and over-the-top while still being smart and meaningful. While the humor is never quite as laugh-out-loud funny as Fire Island as it clearly is trying to speak to more universal audiences, it still is delightfully queer and rewarding.
The only place where it feels like the film can begin to fall apart is its third act, which at times embraces conflict that feels overly cliched and convoluted. Still, this is a rather minor complaint, and the actual conclusion still feels rewarding and worthy. In a year that, so far, has felt quite disappointing in new releases, The Wedding Banquet is an undeniable gem. Blending a comedic and fun premise with an authentic and moving heart, the film is worth seeking out and continues to prove the talents of all parties involved.
