Jenny's Wedding is an under-appreciated film that I think will surprise many of you. It is one of many fine quality films that I find myself asking: Why didn't this get more than just an extremely shallow limited release? It certainly deserved better than only grossing a paltry $6244 worldwide, especially considering the end product.
Piloted by veteran screenwriter-director Mary Agnes Donaghue (Beaches, White Oleander), the movie starts with a well written script. It is bolstered by fine performances across the board from a talented cast that includes Katherine Heigl, Tom Wilkinson, Linda Edmund, Grace Gummer and Alexis Beidel. It's crew achieved high production values that would compare favorably with films 5 times their budget. It has all the ingredients to be a fine film and delivers on that promise.
Jenny's Wedding problem lies in Hollywood's inability to label it and know how to sell it rather than the film itself. It never meets the expectations unfairly placed on it by others to be a film it never pretended to be. It never was intended to be a laugh a minute comedy or a sappy love story or even a bold message film. It is an honest portrayal of how family members when placed in unfamiliar waters, may surprise or disappoint, themselves and others in how they act.
I think this film benefits greatly from being seen with out any expectations. I had the benefit of watching this film without seeing the trailer or reading the blurb, both which reveal too much about the story. I enjoyed how the story unfolded, the slightly surprising but not shocking plot twist, and the unpredictability of how family members act and react when conflict arises. It had a credible balance of painful and feel good moments that any normal family goes through. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Jenny's Wedding and hope you will too.
