The Wedding Contract

This actually has a very different format and it was SO refreshing! A quick montage of their meet-cute & their dating takes place during the opening credits. The rest of the movie is about their engagement and their experiences really learning about each other as they navigate each others' family traditions and opinions as they prepare to marry. They love and adore each other and face some believable bumps. All the actors did a fantastic job--it is funny, touching, sweet, and uplifting. I really enjoyed learning about Jewish wedding traditions and watching them take place. The traditional wedding contract ritual is wise and meaningful & a Jewish reception looks so fun! This is definitely one of my 10 favorite Hallmark movies.

Kudos to Hallmark for making a movie that is more true to life, entertaining and thought-provoking. Even if you're not Jewish, it is interesting to learn about the Jewish traditions. I appreciated the love that his couple shared. I loved that they had realistic jobs and normal lives. They had to make choices that every couple getting married has to make. Religion, family, careers and their love for each other all played a part in who this couple was and the priorities they chose. It was well done. The acting was good. The characters had chemistry. The story-line was engaging. And there was a touch of comedy that was true to life and made you smile.

7.4 stars.

This is an enjoyable ride-along with two Jewish families navigating their son and daughter falling in love. Of course there must be drama, and there is some baggage to take along with this ride. Well, maybe he has some baggage. She seems to be of sound mind.

When I say both families are Jewish, I feel they are borderline, because half of them don't really appear or act anything like the culture, but what do I know? The only references I have are movies that depict them. I digress.

The young man literally falls for her at the park where they first meet. He stumbles into love and she is equally as stricken by him. The rest of the story goes in fast motion to the point they are dating, or have been dating for a while, or so it seems. Next thing we see is they are in love. The only speed bump is that his mom and her mom haven't met yet. Also, these moms are two peas in a pod, but not the type of peas that you want sharing the same pod, because they would end up killing each other. They are both stubborn, opinionated, and obnoxious. Will the families survive that whole side show? To be determined.

This is an entertaining film, but gets derailed from time to time. But the main theme rests upon the fact that he is not as attentive as he needs to be. He is conflicted because his career is suddenly catapulted and he's offered a massive promotion, which may drive a wedge between them. She has to choose between her family and her beloved teaching job, or dropping it all to follow him. They both have to grow up fast, and like any Hallmark film, they will adapt and we will have our happy ending.

There is something positive to be said for the effort Hallmark is making to display diversity in recent movies. This film was one of the very lovely movies to come along that offered a new direction in that effort. The Wedding Contract is a simple story about two young Jewish singles, who meet, fall in love, and then have to navigate their path to a traditional wedding. The bride's family is portrayed as observing the typical lifestyle of a Conservative Jewish family. Sabbath rituals, foods that are prepared and shared with great joy, and customs that are a way of life.

Problems arise when the groom's less traditional family life is introduced. His mother is widowed, is a world traveller, married to a non-Jewish man, and somewhat of an unknown in the mix. Meeting her is completely as expected. There are edgy interactions with the bride's very warm, embracing, effusive family members.

But, as is expected in Hallmark films, all is ironed out and peacefully resolved. Everyone eventually gets along, new relationships are forged,and there is the anticipated happy ending.

However, there needs to be some mention here of the aspects of this story that, perhaps, should not go overlooked. Some the discussion and exhibiting of typical Jewish traditions become a bit "in your face" at times. The dialogue became almost like a Sunday School lesson in how one traditional Jewish family lives. Too many "lessons" seem to prevail. As a practicing Conservative Jew, from an Orthodox Jewish background, I found some of the dialogue a bit excessive. Some of the traditions could have been understood just as well by example rather than by long explanations.

In the end, everything and everyone come together happily. One, perhaps small, issue needs some mention. Despite all the observing of all the Jewish traditions, one personal comment here . In as religious and traditional a ceremony as this wedding includes,(circling one another, breaking of the glass, etc. ) a typical Jewish bride would present herself a bit more modestly than in a strapless wedding dress. Even a little lace shawl or soft covering during the ceremony would have been more traditional than a low-cut strapless gown. A very minor comment, but still one that appeared to be divergent from everything else that was portrayed so traditionally and beautifully.

A lovely movie with lots of lessons, but a good nod to diversity in these times.

Seems like I really like a lot of rom/coms with Jake Epstein in them. He can be very funny with great delivery. Becca Tobin's resume isn't as long, but I give many of her movies positive reviews.

This movie skips the early relationship building between them, but it gets off to a good start with witty dialogue. The tone early on is upbeat without much negativity. Then comes the wedding planning, and especially the opinionated moms. Adam's job also adds tension. A lot.

There is a lot of tradition and family sentimentality. The climax is so sappy, it borders on cheesy, but not quite. It really is a good sappy.