cmzapffe

This dull, plodding story coasts to its end without magic and, worse yet, without style. The camera, shockingly, does not love the lead actors. James plays a date of some experience, not a star-struck innocent. Their romantic beach scenes played to today's audience, not the reality of 1935. Hammer, appallingly dressed in a wrinkled, ugly brown suit in 1935 Monte Carlo, lacks the needed imperious nature of an English titled gentleman. Scott Thomas lacks menace. The story has been considerably changed either out of ignorance or to fit the time constraints. This movie either suffers from misdirection or poor cinematography. Or both. I would highly recommend the 1998 version of Rebecca starring Charles Dance and Emilia Fox if you want to see the best, magical version.

"After the Wedding" is a thoughtful character study of a family in crisis after a visitor attends the wedding of their daughter. The visitor, Isabel Andersen (Michelle Williams), has traveled back to New York City to meet with a potential major benefactor for her beloved orphanage back in India.

Isabel has become greatly acclimated to her life in India and is now uncomfortable at having to return to New York City, but she has been requested to apply in person for the expected large bequest to keep her orphanage afloat.

Theresa Young (Julianna Moore) is the wealthy founder of a technology company which is now in the process of being sold. She is married to Oscar Carlson (Billy Crudup), a Manhattan artist, and they live the life of privilege out in the leafy suburbs with his daughter, Grace Carlson (Abby Quinn). Grace has fallen in love with one of Theresa's company employees, and her wedding is planned for the upcoming weekend.

Theresa tells Isabel that she can't formalize the bequest until the next week, so she invites her to the wedding. What was once thought to be a quick in and out trip now stretches out, leaving Isabel curious as to what is going on. She is struck by the fact that Theresa has shown little interest in her orphanage in spite of promising a major donation, so she wonders if Theresa has an ulterior motive. The secrets and surprises which arise during and after the wedding will shock everyone and shake this family to its core.

This movie was adapted from the 2006 Danish movie, "Efter brylluppet," which was directed by Suzanne Bier and starred Mads Mikkelson. In this Americanised version all of the major roles have been reversed. I can tell I like a movie when the characters have become real to me and I am left wondering what has happened to them since the ending.