The Wedding Banquet Review: Andrew Ahn Creates a Charming and Humorous Reimagining

      Remaking a film from the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry is no small feat. Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet raises the stakes even further with its Golden Bear win and Oscar nomination. Such accolades create immense expectations for anyone willing to reimagine this romantic comedy for a modern audience, 30 years later. Nevertheless, Andrew Ahn accepted the challenge, collaborating with original co-writer James Schamus to enhance the story by introducing more gay couples into the mix and adding a baby for good measure.

      The plot has shifted from focusing on a dating service financed by the parents of a son who hasn’t come out to them, and a broke tenant persuaded to marry him for a green card. Now, it is the son who requires the green card. Min (Han Gi-Chan) has maxed out his student visa, and his grandmother (Youn Yuh-jung’s Ja-Young) presents him with a choice: take his place as heir to his grandfather’s international business or return to South Korea. In a romantic twist, he opts for a third option: propose to his American boyfriend of five years (Bowen Yang’s Chris), gain citizenship, and forgo his substantial inheritance.

      Although Min’s predicament serves as the catalyst for the story, he isn’t the central character. He knows his desires and is prepared to take risks, regardless of the consequences. This sentiment also applies to Lily Gladstone’s Lee, an openly proud community member who dreams of motherhood with her girlfriend Angela (Kelly Marie Tran). They’ve risked their financial future for IVF treatment, and the financial strain only strengthens Lee’s determination to see it through. She is committed to having a baby and raising it with Angela, regardless of the obstacles. If Min and Lee had their way, the movie would end before it even begins.

      The focus then shifts to Chris and Angela, who are more chaotic in nature—lacking self-esteem and feeling unworthy of their accomplished partners, which threatens to undermine the happy lives they’ve built. Complicating matters, they are best friends. Their mutual support is intertwined with their shared issues, pulling them deeper into their own struggles. It becomes clear that Min and Lee must intervene, even if it requires a wild proposal: Min will fund Lee and Angela’s IVF efforts if Angela agrees to marry him so that he can remain while Chris finds clarity.

      In this twist, Min and Lee find themselves in the middle of the chaos, and things spiral from there. The situation involves much more than simply obtaining a marriage certificate. Ja-Young wants to visit America to meet her grandson’s fiancé, and Angela’s mother May Chen (Joan Chen) is at a loss on how to react to her daughter marrying a man, having based much of her identity on being the mother of a lesbian. When Min’s finances for the IVF treatment are accidentally misallocated, tension builds. Chris has already experienced his breakdown when he hesitated over Min’s proposal, doubting his capability to meet his needs. Now Angela is faced with her own crisis, questioning if she can fulfill Lee’s nurturing aspirations.

      Another complication arises, further upending the situation, but it serves merely as one more excuse. Both Chris and Angela are drawn to self-sabotage, convinced of their inadequacies despite lacking logical reasons for such thoughts. Min and Lee can only be so patient; they must eventually determine if this stagnant state is worthwhile for the happily-ever-after they envision, which may never materialize. Many emotional hurdles need to be addressed, supported by both expected (Ja-Young and Chris’ cousin Kendall, portrayed by Bobo Le) and unexpected (May Chen) sources of love and inspiration. It’s a pivotal moment for the characters.

      The film is incredibly charming and sweet, yet also very humorous. Tran and Yang bear much of the burden in their journey of recovery from the pitfalls they’ve created. However, it is Gladstone and Gi-Chan who truly shine, infusing their characters with emotional depth and yearning for their partners to awaken to their potential. I appreciated the visual humor (Ahn ensures the camera captures all the “too gay” books and movies that Ja-Young cannot comprehend) and found the Star Wars joke targeting Tran hilarious. But the real standouts are the brilliant performances of Youn and Chen, who bring impeccable comedic timing, moving emotional depth, and a genuine understanding of their character’s growth into what Min and Angela need, even if their realization takes longer than necessary.

      The Wedding Banquet is now playing in theaters.