The Wedding Contract

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.

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.

This is all about planning a Jewish wedding and more importantly a Jewish marriage...and the stars are the two Jewish mother-in-laws Sadie and Dianne.

Rebecca is a simple schoolteacher who meets Adam accidentally in a park in Chicago, their romance takes place via sketches over the opening credits. Then it is all meet the parents, propose and get right down to the details of the wedding...cake, dress, flowers, etc. The two mothers do not seem to agree on anything, but wanting their children's happiness.

I loved the sharing of the Jewish traditions. I have some first hand knowledge...but even I learned one new thing!

I think romantics will appreciate this film and anyone interested in Jewish traditions especially those around the marriage ceremony.

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.

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.