The Wedding Banquet reimagines Ang Lee’s 1993 cult classic. Rich in heavy-hitting narrative artistry, it charms both its audience and its subjects with wit and warmth. Directed by queer Korean-American filmmaker Andrew Ahn, this is a lively movie. It’s a new romantic comedy for all fans of vibrant, cozy stories that explores family obligation versus self-actualization through the lens of a found family.
Much of the action takes place during a wedding. It mostly focuses on Min, played by Han Gi-chan, an extreme heir of a Korean chaebol and who feels trapped inside his false self. Now that Min’s visa is about to expire, he jumps into action. He recruits his motley crew of friends to help him execute the plan, which includes a green card marriage with Angela (Kelly Marie Tran). Angela and her wife Lee, played by Lily Gladstone, deal with the realities of their long struggle with IVF procedures. Yet their journey makes a richly dramatic connection with Min’s life.
Ahn’s adaptation retains the overall spirit of the original film but carves its own unique path. He noted, “That’s pretty bold. I’ll say that great art inspires art.” He’s hoping to draw from that experience in crafting a story that will bring in today’s audiences. In turn, he casts a shadow over the pioneering work of Ang Lee.
The film’s emotional depth comes to a head in a key banquet scene. The entire cast looks back on this day as one of the best experiences they had filming the documentary. Over a couple of days, the cast bonded and experienced an array of emotions, culminating in a scene that resonated deeply with them. Bowen Yang, one of the cast members, remarked, “That was a really special couple of days that we shot the wedding.”
Later in the film, it is Min who offers to cover the cost of Angela’s partner’s next IVF cycle. This very kind move provides a major twist to the tale. Questions of desire, ambition, and devotion emerge when personal struggles and sacrifice intertwine. This is doubly so when we add cultural norms about what family should look like. During her keynote address, Ahn reflected on each of these themes. That conflict is challenging because when you’re in it, you know they really love their kid and grandkid. This is indeed heavily influenced by the path I’ve taken alongside my own parents. It makes me extremely glad to see that they are so far on board today. This love I have for them is the heart of our intergenerational narratives. Their love for me deepens that bond even further.
The original The Wedding Banquet is personally meaningful to Ahn. He shared that his mom let him rent the movie when he was just eight years old. Little did she know that its new queer themes would transform her life. “What’s funny is my mom does not remember renting it,” he said, underscoring how the film’s impact on him has evolved over time.
Their chemistry and collective trauma from shooting gave an aristocracy to their joint portrayals. Each player brought different and valuable perspectives to the work. This ongoing collaboration fostered an expansive tapestry of narratives that continues to connect with audiences of all disciplines, ethnicities, and experiences.
