Wesele

Wojciech Smarzowski, one of the most talented young Polish directors, made this film to show not only a stereotypical Polish wedding reception (the word "wesele" in the title means wedding reception), but to bring into view some vivid characters, their values, and the Polish reality that has seriously changed since 1989.

Wieslaw Wojnar, a rich landsman, prepares a wealthy wedding for his daughter, Kasia. He wants to show off in the village: orchestra, good food, and, most importantly, two wonderful gifts for the young couple: a car and honeymoon in Croatia. What more should they want: "there is money so there is everything!" He is deadly selfish and materialistic. But in the eyes of people: a man of honor! However, as the wedding goes on, things start to turn against him and his huge sum of money safely hidden starts to disappear...

The director shows two kinds of people: the majority whose only master is money, and a small group of very few people who are aware that life and happiness mean something more than the search for riches. This is the Granpa, who symbolically says "I'll never sell my land" but "land" means, in fact, all values he lived like patriotism or love. The bride is similar: she does not only live to be rich but also knows what love should be like. Her tragedy, however, is that her new husband thinks precisely the opposite. He gets married in order to get a car from his father in law and show off among his friends. Fortunately, Kasia lives with him only one day...

This group of people, like Kasia's husband, whose only happiness is to be rich are presented in very amusing contexts. Mundek, the lawyer, and many, many others. They are the gist of the comedy, really funny! But I won't say more because you should see the film for yourself.

WESELE is a wonderful movie but it has to be interpreted in the right way. For those who do not know the Polish reality whatsoever, it might sometimes seem confusing. But just for the sake of fun, do see it. You will laugh most of the time, I promise. Even the horrific end for the old Wojnar is funny.

One advice: don't laugh at Poles drinking so much. As a matter of fact, every nation does have its shortcomings...

Very true to life.

Very Slavic - lots of drinking - very believable but boring and the film goes on way too long!!!!

The plot is plausible but uninteresting.

The characters seem real but very disconnected.

The characters are well acted but very two dimensional.

Photography goes from the film camera to the cheap video camera used by the videographer shooting the wedding.

The sound, music and other technical aspects are weak.

True vignette of eastern Europe.

Avoid this film it is endlessly repetitive.

I rarely comment on films but I have to respond to the American commenter who said that this film was an utter confusion. It's no wonder that someone from Texas does not understand this way of life, but we here, after 50 years of communism do understand it. Drinking, materialism, corruption, bribery, blackmailing, rape etc. These were the basics of our lives for decades and it is so sad to see that there is no improvement in Poland after the fall of the Iron Curtain. The events depicted are very similar to those that would take place in rural Hungary. The movie was quite amusing but very sad at the same time.

I enjoyed this movie from the very beginning to its end. Direction is superb, screenplay, character's performance, everything is brilliantly played and the output is understandingly remarkable. On the other hand, I disagree with some of the opinions posted on this board; this movie does not intend to reflect the lack of improvement since the fall of communism in Poland, or the advances of capitalism. It is not focused on politics, or at least I never got that impression. It's merely a burlesque artwork on human feelings, disillusion and settled values of this new global society; the impact they have on the lives of people in a small town in central Europe. Villages are the same elsewhere, in France or in USA, in Brazil or in Sweden, and villagers are always subjected to mockery because of their outdated and weird customs. For me, this is the best movie i've ever seen from Poland, and a great surprise. Will always recommend it!

WEDDING transforms a joyous occasion into a real 'Walk On The Wild Side". I am unfamiliar with Polish demographics, but I would imagine that, in America, the people depicted in the film would be called, "Hillbillies". And, by that I mean people who live in a remote, rural area in the South, often in the Appalachian (Or sometimes Ozark) Mountains, and therefore are isolated and somewhat out of touch with modern culture. In short, they would best be described as, "Rude, Crude, and Lewd". WEDDING is not funny unless you have a particularly diseased sense of humor. However, it is exceedingly twisted and perverse. Worth a look.