Wedding Wars

Wedding Wars is one of the first attempts to look at the same sex marriage struggle on a political level albeit it is done in a slyly humorous vein.

John Stamos an openly gay man is a wedding planner and he's about to perform a labor of love, he's to organize the wedding of his brother who is marrying the daughter of the governor of his state. That governor is James Brolin who in his campaign for re-election has come out against same sex marriage.

The important thing to remember here is Brolin is a fairly liberal fellow, but sees where the political current is running and decides not to swim against it. Stamos is upset with this turn of events though by someone who had been held out to him as gay friendly and decides to do something about it.

He stages his own one man strike and his withdrawal from the wedding and picketing of the governor's mansion soon gets a lot of media attention. He doesn't win the immediate political war, but he does win the renewed love and respect from friends and family, including a brother who's life was made miserable by all the fuss.

There are many things that can birth a political activist, nothing quite succeeds as when an issue involving who you are and the limits placed on your rights because of it, hits one unexpectedly. Stamos does not play a gay stereotype, he could easily have opted for that. His character grows and develops in proportion to the political awareness.

Wedding Wars succeeds in delivering the message that rights and respect are not won from the closet. It's a nice made for TV film with a timeless message.

The added features on this very entertaining DVD of the brisk and light comedy WEDDING WARS bear watching: the producers, director and actors make the case for the approach of this quality film in tackling the issue of rights for gay marriage in a manner that could not offend anyone and at the same time create a more serious vantage from which to view the controversy. It is the only time in the 'film' that politics is the issue, a factor that makes the actual viewing of the story far more powerful. Credit the writer Stephen Mazur and director Jim Fall for a creating a frothy, fun story that has much more at its core than just entertainment.

Ben Grandy (Eric Dane) works as the campaign manager for the Governor of Maine (James Brolin) and proposes to the governor's daughter Maggie (Bonnie Sommerville). The wedding will be at the waterside mansion of the Governor and when the need for a wedding planner is raised, Maggie insists they ask Shel Grandy (John Stamos), the openly gay brother of Ben, who as a party planner has always dreamed of doing a wedding. Shel is in a successful relationship with state prosecutor Ted (Sean Moore) who remains in the closet for career reasons. Shel jumps at the chance to do the wedding, hoping that in some way this event will mend the schism with his big brother who has been distant since Shel informed him he was gay. All goes well until Ben writes a speech for the Governor in which the Governor states he is against gay marriage. Shel is stunned, gathers up his plans for the wedding and begins a private strike for gay marriage, a strike that with television and media coverage soon spreads across the entire USA, the result being the closure of beauty salons, florists, restaurants, limo services (and all the stereotype gay run businesses, unfortunately). The crisis is ultimately resolved in a humorous yet very touching manner and to reveal more would diminish the impact for the viewer.

John Stamos is superb as the radical Shel, but everyone in the cast is completely professional - James Brolin, Eric Dane, Bonnie Sommerville, Sean Maher, Claire Welling, Sean McCann, Jane Eastwood, Linda Kash, etc. The production qualities are polished, the story flows along at a fast clip, and in the end there are moments of truth that poignantly emphasize human rights to happiness for everyone. Would that there were more films of this caliber to deliver social comment without the preaching so often associated with message films. It is a delight to watch. Grady Harp

"Wedding Wars" is a light comedy with some interesting aspects. Without being in one's face, the message it wants to project comes across clearly. As directed by Jim Fall and based on a screenplay by Stephen Mazur, the movie deals with a current issue that has divided America: the right of gays to get married. It is puzzling how people secured in their own sexuality can get so adamant in the way they condemn a group that has been so discriminated for being different.

The story centers on two brothers, Ben and Shel Grandy. Ben is getting married to the governor's daughter. The father is opposed to the idea of gays getting married. Shel, who is involved with a male assistant district attorney, comes out to Ben, as well his own parents, and to the rest of the community. As a way to protest their being chastised for standing out, Shel calls for a strike just before the wedding is scheduled to take place. Only when Ben realizes that his brother is a good person and learns to accept him, things go back to normal.

I was surprised by John Stamos' take on Shel. He gives a sensitive reading to his character. Eric Dane is also effective as Ben, the straight brother whose life goes into turmoil just before getting married. James Brolin has a couple of good moments as the governor.

The film is entertaining without being offensive.

When I heard that John Stamos was going to be playing a gay man in a new A&E movie, I was a bit perplexed. Stamos normally plays the macho alpha male...could he play a convincing gay man. Yes...why yes he can! His performance as Shel, a party planner, is some of his best work, ever. He's sexy and vulnerable, funny and earnest all at once. It would be really easy for this movie to teeter over the line from slightly campy to really silly, but Stamos helps keep things in balance.

Opposite Stamos is Eric Dane as Shel's brother, Ben. Ben is a rather uptight campaign manager for Maine's fictional Governor, Conrad Welling (played masterfully by James Brolin). Ben also happens to be engaged to the Governor's daughter, Maggie (played by Bonnie Somerville). While planning Ben and Maggie's wedding, he discovers that Ben wrote the Governor's speech in favor of constitutionally banning same-sex marriage. The resulting battle mirrors the real-life battles being waged over this issue, but is a lot funnier. It's cliché to say that this movie has a lot of "heart," but that's exactly what it has. A lot of that heart is provided by Sean Maher as Shel's boyfriend Ted, who isn't quite sure how he feels about the whole situation.

Without belittling the issue of same-sex marriage, Wedding Wars is able to take a complex and controversial subject and looks at it with humor and warmth. Don't miss it!

Less fluffy than a Lifetime movie, less silly than a Will and Grace episode, and less in your face than an Aaron Sorkin production, this surprising little TV film really hit the right note. I expected it to be background noise while I wrapped holiday packages, instead, I found myself putting the wrapping paper down and watching as these fairly real characters went through the delicate dance that makes up weddings, brotherhood and gay rights in our contemporary world. Eric Dane found his niche, as he has of late, as the man who wants to do the right thing but has to get past himself to do it. Bonnie Somerville is the kind of warm person you want to know, and James Brolin a polished but "real" politician. Extra stars for John Stamos, who comes off completely comfortable in the role of a gay man who is neither flaming nor hiding, but simply "is". Smiles and kisses to Sean Maher of Firefly fame, for playing an engaging, sweet, and interestingly faceted boyfriend. HUGE thanks to A&E for airing a film that talks about gay marriage. I cannot imagine how this delicate story could offend anyone, but have a sneaking suspicion that most of the other networks would have tsk-tsked it right out the door. Enjoyable, engaging, and worth a look. I'd watch it again, and I'd recommend it...I have, in fact. Well done.