The story always goes back to the same novel: Edward Streeter’s “Father of the Bride” was published in 1949 and greatly amused America’s parents. He laid bare generational and other family conflicts, fought out in organizing a wedding. Within a year of its publication, Vincente Minnelli adapted the book, starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor. A TV series followed in the 1960s. A remake starring Steve Martin in the early 90’s. The sequel to the remake starring Steve Martin. A few very similar pieces with a different title, and now, a good 70 years later, the next version of “The Father of the Bride” is coming. The theme seems to be holding.
This time Andy García plays the title role and all the events are set in the milieu of Cuban exiles in Miami, which proves to be a smart move. Because director Gaz Alazraki wants help to update the basic idea: although the world is apparently still full enough with friends from the lavish wedding, he still gives a fat dose of patriarchy. With the clichés of Latin American culture, he can generously increase the pomp of marriage, but conveniently also all the macho behavior of the men and the defensive strategies of the women. He can place an older generation steeped in tradition alongside a thoroughly Americanized younger generation, and finally, and this is a new, delightful quirk, he charges the dialogue with temperament by occasionally throwing in Spanish.
The future son-in-law does not like sports and strippers. oh dear
You can actually laugh a lot in this film, sometimes a little annoyed by the patriarchal attacks of the main character, sometimes touched by her anyway. After all, the main character, Billy Herrera, doesn’t have it easy. He came from Cuba “with nothing in his pocket,” he keeps saying. He built his own business, along with his wife, children, wealth and reputation. Now, however, his breaks american dream together. Because Ingrid, the wife, wants a divorce, Sofia, the older daughter, wants to marry some New Yorker, Cora, the younger one, doesn’t want to go to college but wants money on credit from her father, and of course it all happens at the same time.
Billy Herrera, it’s fair to say, deserved far worse. Andy García plays this guy who either ignores women or accidentally doesn’t listen to them, with a mixture of selfishness and cockiness, sleazy enough that you marvel the moment he opens his mouth. This applies to both the viewers and his wife, who has to confirm her wish to separate every day. Despite this, she agrees to keep the divorce plan a secret from the children so that the marriage can take place without tribulation.
So Ingrid is a problem that worries Billy. Next is the loss of the daughter. Then her future husband, a lawyer who does not like sports or strippers, very difficult. He’s also Mexican, the offspring of a very wealthy brewery owner who announces as soon as he meets him that he’s a lot richer than Billy. This opens the Latin American competition, which eventually gets so heated that the Cuban family and the Mexican family face each other screaming their national anthems in each other’s faces.
The newlyweds get lost in this madness, but that’s the plan. The dads who get out of control are easier to joke with than the more pathetic youngsters who timidly murmur the words “intimate celebration” while already two mariachi bands, a wacky wedding planner, several caterers, and a growing number related drinker waiting outside the door.
However, the mothers carry the victory in the wedding chaos. Sofia’s mother, the groom’s mother, and the groom’s stepmother have lives of their own beyond the perception of their husbands, mocking their husbands and occasionally bringing their children out of the insane prison of patriarchy and back onto the ground of self-determination. To support them and thus to the really brilliant happy ending, a hurricane is still needed. But one thing these mothers have happily clarified: If this weren’t a comedy with a lot of feel-good content, but if this story led to realistic paths, i.e. to divorce, pain and guilt, then women would still be better able to cope with their future than they are Men.
The bride’s father, USA 2022 – Director: Gaz Alazraki. Starring Andy García, Gloria Estefan, Adria Arjona. Warner, 117 minutes. Theatrical release: July 21, 2022.