OUR FAMILY WEDDING (USA 2010) **
Directed by Rick Famuyiwa

A different take on the GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER comedy in which the bride and groom are Mexican and African American instead of white and black, the Mexican and African American jokes runs out of steam as does the one idea film really fast.  And when the bride’s father says at the restaurant: “I’ll be black,” when he leaves the table, there is a slight uneasiness that slight racism has already gone a bit farther than expected.

But there are many things wrong with Rick Famuyiwa’s comedy.  For one is the casting.  There is still little understanding of the casting of a non-comedian in a comedy.  Ice Cube (ARE WE THERE YET?, ARE WE DONE YET?) is another example the reason Forest Whitaker should not be in this movie.  Next, Carlos Mencia is an annoying comic who annoys and leaves many with a bad taste in the mouth if those familiar with him would even be un-offended enough to attend the film.  But the real reason for the failure of OUR FAMILY WEDDING is the shortage of funny material and even comedic set-ups.  I did not laugh once during OUR FAMILY WEDDING, though I admit the trailer was funny, contained all the funny parts and did leave me with a few laughs.

Couple Lucia Fererra (America Ramirez) and Marcus Boyd (Lance Gross) have to tell their respective families of their intentions to wed as Boyd intends to work in Laos with his new bride following him.  But their respective fathers (Oscar winner Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia have already had a run-in with an unfunny towing incident.  Needless to day, all things work out well at the end though things go crazy but unfunny with the organization of their FAMILY WEDDING.

That is as far as originality goes.  The film feels slower than the church ceremony at the wedding service.

Avoid this film at all costs!  This film is as funny as a surprise visit by your spouse’s parents on a weekend you want some time alone.  And after seeing OUR FAMILY WEDDING, you would want to spend some time alone.  Especially for director Famuyiwa – as his career has probably just been flushed down the toilet.  He should have said; “I don’t” to the proposal.