The Wedding Banquet
Seen it?1993 | 108 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), it drew serious awards attention and it made about 27 times its budget. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved The Apartment or Much Ado About Nothing, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Funny with heart, romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 48 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: expect sex.
- It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
A Taiwanese-American man is happily settled in New York with his American boyfriend. He plans a marriage of convenience to a Chinese woman in order to keep his parents off his back and to get the woman a green card. Chaos follows when his parents arrive in New York for the wedding.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Berlin award: Berlin International Film Festival: Best Foreign-Language Film. Also nominated for 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe and 6 Independent Spirit Awards. Plus 11 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$24 million worldwide on a $875K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 97K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
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My Best Friend's Wedding Sunday Safe BetAnother kitchen romantic comedy, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
The Apartment Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed romantic comedy.
Much Ado About Nothing
Saturday SpecialAnother romantic comedy.
Father of the Bride Sunday Safe BetAnother romantic comedy, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Ang Lee
- Gua Ah-lehMrs. Gao
- Lung SihungMr. Gao
- May ChinGu Wei-Wei
- Winston ChaoGao Wai-Tung
- Mitchell LichtensteinSimon
- Vanessa YangMao Mei
- Dion BirneyAndrew
- Jeanne Kuo ChangWai-Tung's Secretary
- Michael GastonJustice of the Peace
- Neal HuffSteve