DVD Review: Father of the Bride (15th Anniversary Edition) (1991)
by Scott Wyatt
Published: July 6, 2005
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| USA |
1991 |
June 7, 2005 |
Buena Vista Home Entertainment |
Charles Shyer |
Steve Martin as George Banks
Diane Keaton as Nina Banks
Martin Short as Franck Eggelhoffer
Kimberly Williams as Annie Banks
George Newbern as Bryan MacKenzie
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Kimberly Williams and Steve Martin in
"Father of the Bride"
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In one of the best performances of his career, Steve Martin plays George Banks, the loving father who just can’t seem to let go of his baby girl. From the time he hears that his daughter is engaged, George fumbles and stumbles at every turn and just when he thinks he has a handle on the situation things get worse. Martin’s portrayal as the befuddled father is top notch.
Likewise, the rest of the cast is perfectly chosen for their roles. Diane Keaton as Nina, George’s level-headed wife is superb. She brings calmness and balance to chaotic sequences that create comedic gold. Kimberly Williams shines as Annie, the bride-to-be in her first major role, which served as a great springboard into other roles. The rest of the cast is outstanding pulling off their characters with such effectiveness that you actually believe these are real families. The standout performance, however, belongs to Martin Short in his role of Franck, the wedding planner. Short lights up the screen with his over-the-top hilarity and playing on George’s emotions.
In this 15th Anniversary edition, we are treated to Audio Commentary from the director, Charles Shyer. His insight, along with some sound bites from producer Nancy Myers, reveal how effectively certain sequences in the original film work so well that all they did was update them for this version. They obviously have a lot of respect for the original version of the film by not trying to improve on it. We also get about a 10-minute interview between Martin and Short that is pretty funny. Unfortunately, we don’t get any commentary from them but there’s always the 20th Anniversary down the road.
This is a great family film for people of all ages that does justice to the original while entertaining today’s fans. It’s worthy of a place in your DVD collection.
Grade: A
SPECIAL FEATURES
An Invitation To Father Of The Bride
Steve Martin & Martin Short Interview Each Other
Audio Commentary with Director/Screenwriter Charles Shyer
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