Customer Reviews

Muriel's Wedding (Widescreen)

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Toni Collette plays an awkward, clumsy woman named Muriel who fantasizes about getting married and listens to ABBA. Living in Porpoise Spit, she has no life of her own. She, as well as her family, are mentally abused by the father, a philandering politician who will do anything to gain popularity. The group of women that she hangs around with, don't want her around because she doesn't live up to their standards--beautiful and stupid. While on vacation, she meets with a high school friend, Rhonda.
Before her performance in "Six Feet Under", Rachel Griffiths plays Rhonda, a high school friend of Muriel's who is transformed into a swan. The popular quartet accepts her but she rejects them because of their cruel treatment of her in high school. She and Muriel move to Sidney, and Muriel starts anew. But when Rhonda is hit with cancer, Muriel goes back into her dreams of being a bride. Muriel does marry but for the wrong reasons. Muriel is forced to confront herself, her family, and the people in her life that hurt her emotionally.
This movie deals with acceptance and Muriel had to accept that there were some things you could and couldn't change.

I had watched this as a teenager from the strong recommendation of a cousin -- initial impression was surprise: I liked the music (ABBA) but was it really such a great movie to recommend? Yes, the phrase "You're terrible, Muriel" has amusingly entered the general vernacular, but really, some of the themes make you feel sooooo uncomfortable... A second viewing confirmed that I had missed a lot of the nuances that come with knowing the story; this is surprisingly a multi-layered movie with multiple events occurring under the radar. Definitely worth a second chance if you weren't sure the first time. Toni Collette puts on an amazing and unique performance -- as she often does. This movie will bring out different emotions in everyone, but it's now a favourite with me. (One day you might want to look into the preparations Collette underwent for this role.)

Living in Porpoise Spit, Australia, Muriel (Toni Collette) is fat, plain, and utterly hopeless, thanks to her father who calls her a 'useless lump.' Her only activities are listening to ABBA music and watching reruns of Princess Diana's wedding. Desperate, she takes a bold step to change her life, moving to the big city to look for love.

I love this movie, which is equal parts comedy and tragedy and is definitely a chick-flick. The sparkling Ms Collette is instantly likeable and I was rooting for her from the start. (She gained so much weight for the early scenes that she is almost unrecognizable before her swan-like transformation.) Muriel is passionate and sensitive and smart enough to know that a true friend is worth more than a fantasy. The supporting cast is excellent, with Bill Hunter as her horribly abusive father and Jeanie Drynan as her pathetic mother.

This touching story of a young woman's search for happiness is full of life and loaded with great ABBA songs. Highly recommended.

This retro-review is for the widescreen version of "Muriel's Wedding",still available as of this writing and at a steal of a price.
This is one movie I pull out again and again and it never disappoints no matter how many times I've see it.
Toni Collette(in her 3rd movie) stars as the overweight Muriel Heslop.The movie is in three "acts","The bouquet","Sydney,city of brides" and "The Wedding".
It opens with Muriel amongst a throng of other wedding attendees catching the bridal bouquet.Her four "friends",which includes the bride,implore her to give it to another group friend as it should be hers by rights,not Muriels'.Muriel hurt,reluctantly gives the bouquet over only to have it thrown back in her face because her friend had just broken up with her boyfriend.As everyone disperses some nasty remarks are made Muriel's way.
This in essence sets the tone for the rest of the movie and especially the character of Muriel herself.She is hanging out and trying to fit in with a group of selfish self-absorbed gals from her hometown of Porpoise Spit(you've gotta love that name!),and she will endure almost anything to get their approval and in the process prove to herself and others that she is "something",not "nothing".
At the wedding she is arrested for stealing the very dress she wears,which she denies having stolen but actually did(showing how far she'll go to be accepted and fit in).She's taken home by the police.Here,at home, we are given a fuller understanding of the backdrop of her life.She's 22 years old and still lives at home with her family.Her father is a town councillor who once tried running for the Senate but lost.He blames this on his family and further more publicly derides them all as lazy and shiftless,while all the time treating his wife like a doormat who is there just for his whimsy and beck and call.In fact just as Muriel feels like "nothing",her mother has as much right to say this if not more than her.The only difference between the two is how each deal with their lives.Muriel at this time of her life is trying to fit in,while her mother has obviously tried in the past but lost(in more ways than one) and really mirrors what is in store for Muriel.And she along with her mother,sister and two brothers seem to be chained to this never ending loop of despair,with no hope of change.
An opportunity arises through a lady friend of Muriel's father.She runs a beauty consultant business and "coincidentally" pops in on Bill with his family and other business associates an unusual amount of times throughout the film(we later find out why).She offers to give Muriel a chance to sell cosmetics for her.Muriel takes the job and is given a blank check by her mother(on orders from her father,of course) to get her started.At this same time her four "friends" are going to be taking a resort vacation on Hibiscus Island.Before they leave they finally give Muriel the grand rejection by booting her out of the group and Muriel is devastated.But with the blank check and her new job,Muriel decides to use it as the premise to take a vacation of a lifetime and also to be with her "friends",so she follows them.While there Muriel is recognized by an old fellow high schooler Rhonda,played by Rachel Griffiths(her first movie).They instantly hit it off and become good friends.
When Muriel lands back home she finds out that the scheme has been found out and it's time to pay the piper.Before the piper has a chance to catch her she high tails it back to the cab she arrived in and takes off.She gets her friend Rhonda and both take off southward to Sydney to start a new life.Rhonda gets a job across the street from Muriel,who works in a video rental store.One day a local guy comes in to rent a movie and asks her for her very first formal date.Rhonda takes Muriel and her boyfriend to a ravers club and bumps into two hot American sailors who she takes back home,leaving Muriel and the new boyfriend alone for a while.Eventually both arrive back home also, but to a very loud "commotion" afoot in the girls only bedroom.A clothing trail in the hall,a mixture of Rhondas' and the sailors,tells the tale.
Muriel amid long moments of awkward silence,makes her boyfriend a cup of "tea"(Muriel is NOT a whiz in the kitchen!) and they both sit down to drink it;Muriel on a bean bag chair.Finally her amour can take no more and forcefully kisses her.Getting little resistance he moves on and on and Muriel giggles with delight at each piece of clothing he removes.However when he unzips the bean bag chair instead of Muriels' leather pants,bedlam ensues.Muriels' screeches bring in the two sailors from the next room who think her boyfriend has made some unwanted advances towards her.Both sailors are without clothes as one pins the "perpetrator" down, while the other tries to console Muriel,who screeches even louder when she spies his "nether regions".
During this raucous Rhonda falls backwards and slides down a wall.Her legs have given out.It turns out Rhonda has a cancerous tumour in her brain.One operation that would supposedly remove it entirely turns into another from which she'll never walk again.Rhonda relies heavily on Muriel but Muriel,ever the mental wanderer,continues to dream of marriage and travels to several dress shops in Sydney.She has a different story for each store clerk she meets but it usually has something to do with a sick relative who will be unable to attend her "wedding".In return she gets to try the dresses on and gets a picture to go along to boot.At one store Rhonda finds her and lets Muriel knows she needs to get a life.
With this Muriel gets serious.She scours the papers and sees an ad right up her alley.It says that an South African olympic swimmer is looking to marry an Australian girl.After checking him and the situation out further she finds out the swimmer is only doing it to get citizenship so he can compete for Australia.The marriage will only be in name only and for a minimum of four months to comply with regulations.Nonetheless Muriel marries the swimmer getting ALOT of media attention and thinking she's finally made it.She also hopes for more than the shallow marriage it is.Reality rears its' ugly head.
During this time her father has been formally charged with taking bribes.He is in Sydney awaiting a hearing and also it is learned he has left his wife for his friend the beauty consultant.Her father also has let it be known publicly that Muriel stole money from him and uses that to try and gain public sympathy and as an excuse for him taking a bribe in the first place.At the wedding father gives the bride away and Muriels' mother finally arrives alone but late just as her daughter leaves the church.Muriel doesn't see her and mother is crushed.
Rhonda,without Muriel,is forced to go home and live with her mother.After a time Muriel is forced to face reality and realize the marriage sham is just that and has nowhere to go.Thrown in on all this is a call home as Muriels' mother has committed suicide.
She flies back for the funeral and finds her Dad wants her to stay to mind the house and her siblings.She stands up to him finally and says it is HIS responsibility.His ersatz girlfriend it seems isn't keen on having his kids in tow anyways,so that "romance" cooled faster than an ice age;he does as muriel says.Muriel realizes she has finally found herself and she goes to collect Rhonda and both fly back to Sydney,to start their new lives together.Fade out.
It's quite the movie with alot of ups and downs for all characters but it is a feel good story with a feel good ending that leaves you smiling when the credits finally run.
The movie also has become famous for its'soundtrack of ABBA songs.Muriels musical solace throughout the movie was ABBA.In fact there's a nice sequence when her and Rhonda are on Hibiscus Island doing a lip sync to "Waterloo".Furthermore it was "Muriels Wedding" that pretty much single handedly revived the interest in ABBA music in the 90s and onward resulting in new releases of their recorded material,videos and even a popular theatrical play "Mama Mia".
This movie is certainly one with a wide appeal for women as well as men.I would recommend though that if you have any children below the ages of say 16 that you be careful when viewing this as some of the scenes and language can get pretty "descriptive" at times.
Other than that I highly recommend this picture to everyone.The film has no pretensions,is bold and says:"Here I am-love me or leave me".Plot wise it does have a tendency to wander at times and slow things a bit,but it does get back on track quickly and the many precious funny sequences that are in it tend to make up for the others.Remember also that as much fun as this movie is it does get serious,and sometimes very quickly.But it is to the credit of the actors,script writers and the director that all the fine tapestry that is Muriel's Wedding comes off as well as it does.
If you haven't taken the plunge there is no better time to get "Muriel's Wedding" and treat yourself, than right now.You won't be disappointed.

Australian writer/director P.J. Hogan's modern masterpiece, "Muriel's Wedding" serves up wedding cake with wheelchairs, confetti with cancer, ABBA with ardor, sweetness with stealing, and more importantly friends with foes in this one of a kind black comedy.

"Muriel's Wedding" not only launched P.J. Hogan's directing and writing career but gave a leg up to Toni Collette who agreed to pack on 30 lbs. for the once in a lifetime role of Muriel Heslop, citizen of small town Porpoise Spit, Australia. Rachel Griffiths from "Six Feet Under" also got her first shot playing Muriel's friend, wild child and general black sheep of Porpoise Spit, Rhonda Epinstalk. Rhonda and Muriel escape the small town and small people of Porpoise Spit for the big city lights and acceptance of Sidney, Australia.

A low self-esteemed wedding obsessed wannabe, Muriel lies, cheats and steals her way to her ultimate goal. Getting HITCHED! At least that's what Muriel thinks she desires, but all she wants is to truly be accepted by friends, family and her WHOLE world. Muriel's whole existence is based on "Why Can't It Be Me? Why Can't I Be The One?"

Muriel's parents, Bill and Betty Heslop, played by Aussie actors Bill Hunter and Jeanie Drynan both turn in excellent and believable performances. Especially Jeanie Drynan as the put upon mother who unconditionally loves her children and only wants to think the best of them.

Also featured are four judgemental and witchy women who are Muriel and Rhonda's former high school classmates. Some of the greatest comedy scenes take place between the six gals and are hilarious!

The film ALSO has a GREAT 70's soundtrack with the likes of:

Sugar Baby Love by The Rubettes
We've Only Just Begun by The Carpenters
Tide Is High by Blondie
Waterloo by ABBA
I Go to Rio by Peter Allen
I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself by Dusty Springfield
Dancing Queen by ABBA
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do by ABBA
and Happy Together by The Turtles

I highly recommend this film not just as a "chick flick" but a great and terrific movie that examines not only the comedic side of life but of true friendship, love and death...

Happy Watching And Go Porpoise Spit High!

*..*
I watched this wonderful movie about a year after it originally came out. I connected with the (very real lives of the) characters.

The story of a woman who discover the shollow ways of the people around her, Muriel's Wedding is one of those rare movies with deep messages.

Anyone who's ever had any kind of self issues will compeletely love it. Check it out.

This movie is almost amazing and funny and touching, but somehow, it just misses the mark. The fault really isn't the actors, they are superb (Toni Collette is great in everything she does.) And the fault certainly isn't the ABBA-centered soundtrack playing in the background; it adds some much-needed levity to a very heavy comedy-drama.

The first major problem of the movie is that it can't decide whose story it is. You would think with a title like Muriel's Wedding that we would see things through Muriel's point of view. But so many times, we're taken off on these scenes without Muriel, where we catch a glimpse of Rhonda's thoughts or the mother's feelings. It gives a disjointed feel to the movie, keeping us from focusing on Muriel, the supposed object of our admiration and encouragement.

The movie also offers drama to the point of the extreme, and it can't really recover from the depressing story lines that pop up periodically. Very few directors and screenwriters know how to make a drama light-hearted and amusing. Billy Wilder was one. If he had directed Muriel's Wedding, it really would have been something to stand up and cheer about. This movie has a character with a cancerous tumor who will never walk again, a woman who feels so worthless she commits suicide, a father who is cheating on his wife and verbally abusing his children, and Muriel, who is obsessed with weddings and ABBA, a trait which might be funnier if there weren't all this other mess going on. Ultimately, we like Muriel, but we'd like her more if we saw more of her, and less of her dysfunctional friends and family.

Well, mostly true anyway...Everyone remembers things differently. It is very much based on the directors family. I remember when the mother died, it was very sad. The real Porpose Spit is Tweed Heads and as far as I know the Father is still a local member. I find it a cleaver but uncomfortable film to watch...As far as I know the real Murial and the gil in the wheelchair were never reconciled.

I LOVED this movie. Toni Collette was absolutely brilliant here. The movie was funny, but it was so sad too. I felt like I just wanted to jump into the screen and give Muriel a great big hug. Her home life was horrendous, but watching her as she came out of her shell was fantastic. There are some moments of hilarity in this movie like none I've ever seen.I can't say enough about this film...I'm definitely going to watch it again!!!!

It's now 10 years since "Muriel's Wedding" first release, and for the most part it has relegated to the back of people's minds as "that ABBA movie." However, with the exception of one side-splitting scene featuring a gotta-see-it-to-appreciate-it lip-synched rendition of 'Waterloo,' the music is but the background to a great story of rejection and friendship.

When I saw "About a Boy" recently, I was reminded again about the fearlessness of Toni Collette, who I believe is one of the world's great (and certainly most underrated) actresses. 'Muriel' is where it all began for her. Check her out in 'Muriel,' then 'Emma,' and finally 'About a Boy.' This is a beautiful, talented lady not afraid to do whatever the role requires. She's incredible. Watch the bar scene in Hibiscus where her friends essentially disown her. Her reaction is so stark and heartbreaking that I suspect that even her fellow actors were uncomfortable. It's no wonder this role won her Australia's equivalent of an Oscar. She's that good.

This is where it also started for Rachel Griffiths, heartbreaking as Rhonda Epinstalk, Muriel's best friend. This is your chance to see two real stars making their initial marks. What a thrill in that.

Also, never pass up a chance to see Bill Hunter, who put together three stirling performances back in the 1992 - 1994 timeframe: "Strictly Ballroom" (as Dancing Federation Chairman Barry Fife - *the* funniest role ever on film); "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" (as 'Bob,' potential suitor to transvestite Bernadette as played by the great Terence Stamp); and here as failed local politico Bill Heslop ("You Can't Stop Progress"). Bill Hunter knows comedy.