Betsy's Wedding (1990)

Director:

Alan Alda

Writer (WGA):

Alan Alda (written by)

Release Date:

22 June 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The wedding picture doesn't always tell the whole story.

Plot:

Offbeat fashion student Betsy Hopper and her straight-laced investment-banker fiancé, Dylan Walsh, just want an intimate little wedding reception...

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | Police | Male Female Relationship | Marriage | Dysfunctional Family

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Alan Alda	...	Eddie Hopper
Joey Bishop	...	Eddie's Father
Madeline Kahn	...	Lola Hopper
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Stevie Dee
Catherine O'Hara	...	Gloria Henner
Joe Pesci	...	Oscar Henner
Molly Ringwald	...	Betsy Hopper
Ally Sheedy	...	Connie Hopper
Burt Young	...	Georgie
Julie Bovasso	...	Grandma
Nicolas Coster	...	Harry Lovell
Bibi Besch	...	Nancy Lovell
Dylan Walsh	...	Jake Lovell
Camille Saviola	...	Angelica
Allan Rich	...	Nate Tobias

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Sweden:7 | USA:R | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Betsy's Wedding

Trivia:

Inspired by Alan Alda's own daughter's wedding.

Quotes:

Stevie Dee: I could be whatever you need. I could do anything for the woman I love. I believe in saying what you feel. You are the blood in my veins, I would walk through fire for you. I will always be available, I belong to you.

Soundtrack:

Come Fly with Me

Good-hearted, well-intentioned comedy with realistic characters...but it's not that funny

I have to admire Alan Alda for writing a film that contains characters we can actually relate to. Characters who seem like normal, everyday people and not farcical Hollywood creations. The problem? The film hardly goes anywhere. And I only got a few laughs. I'm not asking for "The Naked Gun." I'm not asking for a new gag every two minutes. But this film just didn't have enough humor to classify itself as a comedy. It needed an extra dose of energy, and I feel Alda should've stayed in front of the camera. Because his direction is flat, and the whole movie just seems like one big home video. Though the movie is only a little over ninety minutes, I felt some scenes belonged on the cutting room floor.

The cast is superb and first-rate, and they could've shined with a funnier script. Joe Pesci is the best of a lot, in a role quite different from his usual wise-cracking, tough-guy-from-Brooklyn act. Other talents are Catherine O'Hara, Anthony LaPaglia, the late Madeline Kahn and Molly Ringwald.

My Dad used to say, whenever he would watch a bad comedy, "I guess they call it a comedy, since there's no tragedy in it." That's how I can classify "Betsy's Wedding." No tragedy, but the laughs are scarce.

P.S.: Look fast for Samuel L. Jackson as a taxi dispatcher.

My score: 5 (out of 10)