Muriel's Wedding (1994) is an Australian comedy/drama written and directed by P. J. Hogan.
Hogan, whose screenplay incorporates a number of events in his own life, cast a then-relatively unknown Toni Collette (who gained 18 kilograms (40 lb) for the role) and Rachel Griffiths in the lead roles. Collette was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and Griffiths won both the Australian Film Critics Award and the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The worldwide success of the film was instrumental in propelling the careers of the director and his stars.
Plot
A socially awkward, overweight, and naïve "ugly duckling" obsessed with the music of ABBA, Muriel Heslop is the target of ridicule by the more fashion-conscious girls she considers her friends. She also is a perpetual daydreamer who yearns for a glamorous wedding and marriage to a man who will help elevate her from her personal limitations and free her from a tedious life dominated by her demanding and often psychologically abusive father Bill, a corrupt politician who lashes out at his subservient wife Betty and their unambitious children at every opportunity he gets.
After Bill discovers Muriel has drained his bank account to finance a vacation at a tropical resort, she leaves her family in the coastal town of Porpoise Spit to set up housekeeping in Sydney with her carefree, hedonistic, sexually driven friend Rhonda. In Sydney, she follows her dream, only to discover life's realities.
Although ostensibly a comedy, Muriel's Wedding deals with serious issues. The overriding theme of following one's dream is regularly punctuated by scenes depicting the disappointments and loss of self-esteem that frequently accompany the quest. The movie is widely-regarded as a cult film.
Production
Hamilton Island in Queensland was the locale used for Porpoise Spit. Other filming locations included Coolangatta, Darlinghurst, the Gold Coast, Parramatta, Surfers Paradise, and Sydney.
The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 1994 and opened in Australia the following month. It earned $244,969 on 14 screens in its opening weekend in the US and eventually grossed $15,119,639 in the States[1].
Cast
Soundtrack
The songs of ABBA form the backbone of the film's soundtrack. Songwriters Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson allowed their use in the movie and permitted one of their hits, "Dancing Queen", to be adapted as an orchestral piece as long as the band received a percentage of the film's profits[2].
Additional popular tunes heard in the film include "Dancing Queen," "Mamma Mia," "Waterloo," "Fernando," and "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do," all performed by ABBA, "Sugar Baby Love" by The Rubettes, "The Tide Is High" by Blondie, "I Go to Rio" by Peter Allen, and "Happy Together" by The Turtles.
Critical reception
The film received a positive reception from critics. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said the film "is merciless in its portrait of provincial society, and yet has a huge affection for its misfit survivors ... [it] has a lot of big and little laughs in it, but also a melancholy undercurrent, which reveals itself toward the end of the film in a series of surprises and unexpected developments ... The film's good heart keeps it from ever making fun of Muriel, although there are moments that must have been tempting."[3]
Peter Stack of the San Francisco Chronicle stated, "With such recent hits as Strictly Ballroom and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Australia seems to be cornering the market for odd but delightful comedies laced with substance and romance. The latest, Muriel's Wedding, is another bright, occasionally brilliant, example ... The movie is much meatier than its larky comic sheen leads you to think at first ... There's poignant drama in this brash, sometimes overstated film, and Muriel's transformation is truly touching."[4]
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called it "exuberantly funny ... a crowd pleaser that spices a tired formula with genuine feeling ... In the final scenes, when Hogan dares to let his humor turn edgy, Collette's performance gains in force, and Muriel's Wedding becomes a date you want to keep."[5]
Additional awards and nominations
- Australia Film Institute Award for Best Film (winner)
- Australia Film Institute Award for Best Actress (Toni Collette, winner)
- Australia Film Institute Award for Best Achievement in Sound (winner)
- Australia Film Institute Award for Best Director (nominee)
- Australia Film Institute Award for Best Original Screenplay (nominee)
- Australia Film Institute Award for Best Supporting Actor (Bill Hunter, nominee)
- Australia Film Institute Award for Best Supporting Actress (Jeanie Drynan, nominee)
- Australasian Performing Rights Association Award for Best Film Score (Peter Best, winner)
- BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay (nominee)
- Australian Film Critics Award for Best Actress (Toni Collette, winner)
- Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay (nominee)
- 53rd Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Musical or Comedy (nominee)
References
External links
