Review of Mother of the Bride, directed by Mark Waters

There was a stretch after I returned back from a summer in South Korea, where I was abroad in Busan and studying Korean on a government scholarship, that I had nothing really to do. I was waiting for my next visa (which, much to my shock, would come much later than expected—like months later), and I had quit my jobs back in May in anticipation of being abroad for year ahead.

During this time I really focused on catching up on my books and movies, as over the summer I was so busy I didn’t really watch any movies or books. I think I watched a grand total of five movies while I was in Korea, despite wanting to watch more due to the fact I had access to Korean Netflix. Books? I didn’t read any.

Mother of the Bride was something I had no idea existed out in the world, but then my Netflix account was recommending it to me the day it came out. Normally I would not go for movies like this, but I’m trying to be more open minded in the year to come—intentionality is on brand for me as of late.

The main reason I picked it up though is because I saw Miranda Cosgrove. I hadn’t seen her in anything since iCarly, and this was giving me flashbacks to my youth just seeing her face. So I pressed play!

Let’s get into the review before I start rambling too much.

A mother disagrees with the groom and wedding after her daughter reveals a sudden upcoming marriage.

This movie is a bit of a wild ride, and we begin in media res: Emma Winslow, who works for Discovery Resorts, is proposed to by her boyfriend RJ. She is so happy to see this, and accepts immediately. But right after that, she has a specific thought: how is her mother going to react?

For so many years, it was just the two women, as Emma’s father died when she was eight. We then see her mother, Lana, back in San Francisco leading her research lab. Emma comes home to break the news that she isn’t going to graduate school, or even finding a job: she’s starting her own business instead. Discovery Resorts is offering her a ton of money to promote them. It’s a classic influencer deal.

Lana is then shocked to learn her daughter is getting maried next month in Thailand at one of these resorts, as they’re going to pay for everything in exchange. She doesn’t think that her daughter is thinking clearly at first, but Emma reassures her that yes, she wants this. Lana then tells her she’s happy for her, but suspects that this isn’t what she actually wants.

Next, they all head to Thailand, where Lana realizes that the groom, RJ, is the son of someone she dated at Stanford. At dinner with them at night, Lana goes into the bathroom to flee the situation, and Emma follows her. Lana then explains their background, as the father, Will, ghosted her. Lana then had changed her number and left town.

This leads Lana to think the same thing could happen to their daughter, but Emma doesn’t think so. Back at the table, Lana and Will are asked to be maid-of-honor and best man. Lana then feels inadequate after she gives them a coffee maker as a gift, but Will gifts them an entire New York City condo. This worsens after the wedding planner doesn’t want to hear her thoughts due to the sponsorships.

Lana goes on a date with a doctor, but she doesn’t last too long during the date and dips. As Lana is shown the dress she is to wear at the wedding, she confronts the reality that this wedding doesn’t feel very happy,e specially as it’s become an entire event due to the sponsorship. Lana also isn’t a part of the wedding plans the day-of.

With the Stanford group, they go skinny dipping—which is against hotel rules, and the funding is threatened to be taken away. This pisses Emma off, who declares Lana might be sabotaging the wedding. She tells her mother to leave, as she no longer wants her there.

Will heard that though, and he sweeps Lana up for a drive. Their jeep then doesn’t start, and they have to go to a beach to get a boat to help them. It’s there they finally put away their problems and decide to move forward. They almost kiss, but a boat comes up to them and interrupts the moment.

Emma also regrets what she said to her mother, but then people realize Will and Lana are missing. When they come back, Emma decides to take charge of her wedding again. But things are rocky again when Lana overhears Will talking to a woman on the phone.

Emma and Lana do make up, and the wedding ceremony goes as planned—much to my surprise as well, I was expecting something to happen. When the bouquet is thrown, Lana is about to catch it, but Will grabs it instead. He asks why she is avoiding him, and he clarifies that hew as talking to his secretary. He then proposes, and she accepts.

Overall Thoughts

This was an entertaining movie, but it certainly isn’t something I would come back to. I could see how people love it for a mindless watch, but the writing itself was kind of terrible. The romance wasn’t that great either, and I kind of wish this was just a platonic redemption movie.

Like, for example, proposing to your son’s bride’s mother at their wedding would probably throw most people into a fit. It steals the moment from a wedding, does it not? I was shocked at this plot point, but then again this is a movie that runs on trope and little logic.

I’d say go watch this one if you’re interested, but if not it’s kind of a waste of time. You’re not missing much if you haven’t watched it already. Taste is also subjective though—so you might love this a lot more than I did!

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