User reviews

As much as I want to rag this movie, make fun of it, call it all kinds of names, belittle it, mock it and otherwise totally trash it, I can't and that is for one reason: Steve Martin. Mr. Martin saves this movie from cinematic oblivion, allows this movie to survive, function and prosper. He is proof that an actor can save a sorry script, can raise the level of a story, can make a movie watchable. Mr. Martin proves once again that he is arguably the finest comedy actor today. He can take the dumbest line and make it sound brilliant; he can take the most insipid scene and raise it to the level of comedy or drama. Kudos to Steve Martin for his sterling performance. As for the other star, Diane Keaton, her performance is wonderful too, but it is Mr. Martin who carries this movie and once again proves that he is the star.

A sequel to immensely likable Father of the Bride, 'Father of the Bride Part II' is A Well-Done Sequel! Its enjoyable as well as emotional!

'Father of the Bride Part II' Synopsis: George Banks must accept the reality of what his daughter's ascension from daughter to wife, and now, to mother means when placed into perspective against his own stage of life.

'Father of the Bride Part II' is worthy sequel of a wonderful prequel. The characters still appeal, the humor works & the emotional moments are heartfelt as well. Nancy Meyers & Charles Shyer's Screenplay is genuinely well-done. Charles Shyer's Direction, on the other-hand, is good. Cinematography & Editing are fair.

Performance-Wise: Steve Martin is lovable. He reprises his part of a loving/possessive dad commendably. Diane Keaton is flawless, yet again. Kimberly Williams-Paisley is cute. George Newbern is sincere. Kieran Culkin is adequate. Martin Short entertains.

On the whole, 'Father of the Bride Part II' is a satisfying sequel.

as sequels go,this is film isn't too bad.i didn't think ti was quite as good as the first one,but it's not a bad effort.i didn't find it as funny,and some of Steve Martin's histrionics are old and seem forced a bit too me.really,this one doesn't quite have the same sincerity as the first.through much of this movie,i was all too aware i was watching a movie,whereas with firs tone,i was drawn in,and less aware i was watching a movie with people acting.having said that,there are some bright spots.for,one,this movie is just as touching as the first.and Eugene levy has a great cameo.and there is still some fun to be had.even though this may seem too high a rating after much of what i said above,i still think Father of the Bride II is a 7/10

I enjoyed this film, as I did Father of the Bride (1991), though I had to suspend my credulity a lot. This film was less realistic than the film it was based on, Father's Little Dividend (1951), with Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor. For example, it's unlikely that George Banks, a highly successful business owner who obviously must think through his decisions, would be so impetuous as to sell the house he loves and end up having to buy it back at a significant mark-up. (George and Nina decide to sell following a rainstorm that caused their kitchen ceiling to leak, even though the house had two storeys above it.) The new baby *wing* which the Banks then decide to build on to their repurchased home is equally ridiculous, since the house is already huge and only young son Matty is still at home. Between the ill-conceived house sale and repurchase, the posh baby wing and the lavish baby shower, featuring storks flown in from Austria, I don't think George Banks could possibly have spent more money. In the previous film, Father of the Bride (1991), Bryan's parents were portrayed as wealthy, but George is clearly a millionaire himself. I did enjoy this movie -- it's funny, romantic and very warm, with beautiful sets -- but I would have preferred a little less over-the-top consumerism.

The original "Father of the Bride" with Spencer Tracey is a really good comedy, the remake starring Steve Martin is a good sweet-natured, amiable enough comedy - and I don't really think a sequel was necessary at all. I mean the whole premise is basically the same - before George Banks (Martin) had to grasp the reality of his daughter being married, and now he has to come to grips with the fact that she's having a baby. A nice twist on this is that his wife (played by Diane Keaton) is ALSO pregnant, but nevertheless it's still (basically) the same as the first film in one form or another.

Thankfully it doesn't seem like a total cash-in (like so many sequels of this sort do) because it has a certain charm (as did the first film) and is still remarkably entertaining, all considered. But you can tell it was made solely because of the success of the first film - even Martin Short is back with another extended cameo as Franz the wedding manager. Of course you may be wondering why he's involved with a pregnancy, since his business is weddings. Here's a hint: more $$$ for the studio.

Martin is basically doing the same thing he did in the first film - the weary upper-class guy who feels overwhelmed by the state of things. Diane Keaton is still very sweet and likable as his wife. The rest of the cast (including Macaulay's little brother Kieran Culkin) range from OK to good. Martin Short, however, is yet again a stand-out and is very funny - he wasn't necessary for the plot but he is funny and a good addition to the movie regardless.

Overall I'd say this is one of those sequels that didn't need to be made, but could have been a lot worse. It's sweet, it's got some good lite-comedy moments, and in general it's just an enjoyable family movie that isn't trying to be anything other than simple entertainment -- which it is.

Sillier, more inconsequential, and far less well-written and performed than the 1991 movie. Still, I can't help but enjoy spending more time with these self-obsessed, obnoxiously neurotic yuppies...the cast is too endearing to ignore. And WHY DID THAT TINY BASKETBALL MAKE ME CRY?? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?? AM I THE PREGNANT ONE???

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the first movie. It was not without sentiment and it was hardly original, but it was still beautifully filmed, well acted, charming and funny. This sequel is not as good as the first I agree, but I still quite enjoyed it. The story is predictable, and there are some so-so parts in the script. Eugene Levy, who I do like by the way, is okay here but his character felt somewhat unnecessary and felt like he was there as an additional character and to give the film a longer length. And I also would have liked to have seen more of Kimberley Williams, she is so beautiful and quite a good actress, but I actually do agree that a little too much time is spent between Steve Martin and Diane Keaton. However, it is beautifully filmed, has a nice soundtrack, decent pacing and good direction. And the acting is fine too, Steve Martin and Diane Keaton are still very likable, and while as I've said I would have liked to have seen more of her Kimberley Williams was lovely. And I loved Martin Short here too, he was one of the main merits of the first film, so to see him in his wonderfully fluffy turn again was a very nice surprise. Overall, not bad at all, could have been better, but I liked it. 6/10 Bethany Cox

My basic opinion of this movie is that it is a crappy American feel good comedy. It is simply about a man who is going through another mid-life crisis as his daughter, who was married in the first movie, has a baby in this one. The catch is that his wife is also pregnant and with the irony really dripping, both of them have their babies within minutes of each other. As such the kid's auntie is exactly the same age as him (it won't happen to me, though it is possible).

When I watch this movie I think to myself, this guy really doesn't have problems. There are people out there that have much more serious problems than he does. He admits to having a beautiful wife who loves him, owns his own home (or did), has a great job and great kids - and he thinks he has problems. Maybe the whole comedy is in the fact that he is worrying about absolutely nothing, but seriously, when I watch this movie, I simply shake my head and think that the guy is a loser. I really don't think it is all that funny.

In fact, the guy has much more serious problems. He seems to be spending an awful lot of money, and is going to find himself in a huge amount of debt, and he doesn't seem to ever be at work. My question is not only where he gets his money, but where he gets the collateral for all of the purchases he is making. He buys back his house for an extra $100,000 on top of what he sold it for, and really, how can he seriously afford it.

Okay, it wasn't all that bad. As a movie is was made well, and I did chuckle a few times. But in reality, this guy is a serious loser because he has more than anybody could possibly ask for, and he is worried about growing old. Hell, we all grow old, but he has experience more than what a lot of us have already had. Instead of worrying about growing old, the twit should look back on his life and be thankful for the blessings that God has already given him as opposed to forgetting all of that and winging about his age.

Steve Martin does it again in this touching and funny sequel to 1991's Father Of The Bride the rest of the cast returns in a new story dealing with the joys of parenthood. I loved Father Of The Bride II not only because it was funny, mostly it was due to the comic antics of a man dealing with two pregnancies at once. He's a great comedian as well as an on screen father, my favorite scene is when both babies arrive at the same time.

A year has passed since George Banks (Martin) watched his only daughter Annie (Williams) get married and has accepted her transformation from daughter to wife. She comes home with her husband Brian (Newbern) to announce the wonderful news to her parents, brother Matty (Culkin) and in-laws that she's pregnant. Everyone is thrilled and excited except for George who thinks he's too young to be a grandpa, from then on he tries to act young by dying his hair and exercising.

But things are about to get a little crazy when his loving wife Nina (Keaton)discovers she's pregnant too now George must deal with the impending arrival of both his grandchild and his own child. Thrown into the chaos is Franck Eggelhoffer (Short) the wedding coordinator who helps to design a room for the new addition to the Banks family. This movie is not only sweet but it's charming entertainment for fans of all ages.

I have watched this film loads since i have been a child. I love it!!! It's emotional and hilarious!! George and Frank absolutely crack me up but everyone does a great job in their roles. I like number 2 more than number 1 but both great films. A definate must see film!

This is well worth seeing. Everything goes perfectly. Ain't no such thing as too much Steve Martin, baby. Here Martin carries weak material, but it's a positive movie that shows the joy a new child brings. You will laugh, cry and cheer. I thought this was cute and not bad at all. Some of the dialog is a bit lost on US audiences, but still some hilarious lines. The music is amazing throughout. Also the scenery is incredible. I saw the cast had a lot of great comedians, so I thought there would at least be a few laughs. Instead, I was surprised to see a very touching movie, absolutely great script. I give it 7 out of 10.

That is one of my favorite lines, followed by "and pack up your things and hit the road! And don't trample the daisies!" Or he says something like that.

Anyway. I went and saw this in theaters and amazingly enough, I really liked it. One of the best Steve Martin films next to Bowfinger and Planes, Trains and Automobiles. I enjoyed the acting, I enjoyed the story and everything else about this movie that made it great. It wasn't a comedy going from one zinger to the next but something well thought out and well written.

If your looking for a lite movie with some fun, I recommend seeing this movie.

"Father of the Bride, Part II" is actually a remake of the 1951 sequel, "Father's Little Dividend", which is turn is a sequel to "Father of the Bride". All of the principle cast members from the original film return with more outrageous situations and more laughs.

George Banks (Steve Martin) is just getting over the wedding of his daughter (Kimberly Williams) when he has even more distressing news, she is going to have a baby! This doesn't settle well with him considering he feels old and is not ready to be a grandfather. Not only that, but his wife Nina (Diane Keaton) is also pregnant! Talk about a wacked situation! This not only makes George a grandfather but also a father at the age of 50.

This movie and the original "Father of the Bride" are two of my favorite movies of all time. They are both dramatic, heartwarming and funny. One thing I like is the fact that it continues the storyline very smoothly with references from the first film and Diane Keaton has a lot more to do in this. Martin Short also returns as the wacky ex-wedding coordinator who now coordinates baby showers, lucky for the Banks family! Rent the original and this one for a night of humor and drama, and for anyone who is having a baby, make them watch this!

We've left George Banks mourning the loss of his precious little darling in the first "Father of the Bride" movie and what do you know, they're just coming to announce something "big" and I have a theory: the announcement is actually handled like the film's first gag. Think about it: either you know the workings of matrimony and can easily anticipate that the next step after a wedding is a crawling toothless creature keeping you awake at 4 am (especially if the time span is four years), or there's the possibility that you've looked upon the poster, or maybe, you just know that the film is based on Vincente Minnelli's "Father's Little Dividend" the follow-up to the original "Father of the Bride".

How is the pregnancy a gag? Well, it is one in the sense that George Banks, a man entering his sixtieth decade of existence is still incapable to figure what the news will be... and seems incapable to conceive (no pun intended) that Annie is a grown-up now. His denial of the mere possibility of a pregnancy is absurd enough to raise the earliest chuckles and tell us that the film will swim in the same waters than the first. Yes indeed, it's Steve Martin once again as the unmovable conservative force facing the unstoppable cycle of life. And so when everybody's reunited to hear the news, the way he looks at his son-in-law as some cartoon villain who put the final stamp of his "ownership" is quite similar to the quick flash of John Candy as the devil in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles".

Spirit-wise, we're in a film tailor-made for Steve Martin, the man against which the world seems to have concocted a personal conspiracy and it is a fine continuation of the original and a reminder of the charm of these 90s movies where narratives that could be deemed as old-fashioned by today's standards were still considered viable. Don't get me wrong, the premise is rather ludicrous and I don't mean the pregnancy of Nina Banks but the fact that it's synchronized with her own daughter's pregnancy. It doesn't take a medium to guess that the two women will lose waters within the same timeline or as Roger Ebert put it (more eloquently): No prizes for guessing that they may find themselves delivering at exactly the same moment. That said, it takes a lot of warmth and writing skills to start with a crazy idea and manage to make everything flow smoothly without letting the viewer ever feel that his intelligence is to be suspended as well as his disbelief.

The first act is basically a retread of "Dividend" with George having a middle-age crisis and trying to convince himself that he's still got it. He goes to the gymnasium, dyes his hair and tries to resurrect his lost youth through one sensual night with Nina and cinematic laws of pregnancy working, guess what happens next. Maybe you don't remember that episode of "Little House on the Prairie" when Caroline Ingalls thought she was "late" because of pregnancy but it just happened to be the menopause. Well, this episode must have marked Nancy Meyers for the same misunderstanding is used in reverse. And it's only fair that the writer of "Baby Boom" wanted her muse Diane Keaton to embody a real form of motherhood. Diane Keaton still looks young at 45 but the effort to 'olden her' through her fashion style and haircut makes indeed the pregnancy a little more awkward.

But awkwardness be damned, these little touches never really alter the enjoyment for the pregnancy is never treated as a source of cheap gags and since the film recycles every character from the original, there's a certain comfort in watching achieving people trying to reach states of happiness, making us happy by proxy. There are some serious moments here and there, one involving Nina putting George in his place and telling him to consider her pregnancy with a little more respect and various subplots disseminated here and there, most notably one involving the house sale to a foreigner played by a "youngish" Eugene Levy. Nothing quite new under the horizon but there's something exciting about the presence of Martin Short as the extravagant wedding planner (turned house decorator for the need of the plot). Short and Martin share many great moments especially a touching one when Banks discovers the future baby's room.

Of course, the film had to commit a little mistake by injecting another slapstick sequence, involving sleeping pills taken at the wrong time, and I think this could have undermined the film. Many comedies that contain pregnancy commit the cardinal sin of handling a universally touching moment with cheap grotesque jokes but everything goes well in "Father of the Bride II" and it owes a lot to the presence of Jane Adams as the doctor charged of the delivery. The actress plays her role straight without any awareness of all the goofy stuff around and in her own humble way, she elevates the final moments of the film. Talk about a great casting.

And it's for touches like this that once again, you can't just dismiss movies like "Father of the Bride". While not as good as its predecessors, it's enjoyable and simply said, fun to watch. It's also interesting to see Kieran Culkin having more interesting lines than in the first film revealing some better acting dispositions than his brother, whose stardom was already fading. Kimberley Williams is always as enchanting and irritating as the Annie Banks but I have a soft spot for Diane Keaton who's not given the easier role and pulls it off with sweetness, credibility and a good sense of humor. What this great actress can't do I don't know.

Not a masterpiece of originality, but as a film about two deliveries, "Father of the Bride II" does deliver.

I really tried to watch this movie with an open mind. Ever since watching Diane Keaton in "The First Wives Club", I fell in love with her. She is a brilliant actress and a somewhat strange individual which makes her very compelling. The sad part about it is, not even she can save this movie. I really enjoyed the first "Father of the Bride" but found this one to be almost annoying. The movie was very predictable and humorless. Steve Martin was very disappointing....so sad...

I really enjoyed this movie! It's the kind of movie you can watch over and over and over (trust me, my sister and I watch it tons of times) and never get sick of it! It's funny, and having Steve Martin as George definitely helps. Kimberly Williams is great (as always) and Diane Keaton is good too. I love this more than the first one (Father of the Bride)!

While no where near the quality of Father's Little Dividend, the Spencer Tracy vehicle that was the sequel to the original Father of the Bride, Father of the Bride II is not the worst way to while away a lazy weekend afternoon. The plot follows a fairly predictable series of events with little by way of character development. The actors are talented and that makes all the difference. I can't help but find myself tearing up every darn time I watch this schlock-fest.

I am rather amazed however that no reviewer has commented on the unnecessarily negative portrayal of "Mr. Habib" (a cameo by Eugene Levy) as the arrogant, misogynistic Arab who buys the Banks' beloved home. With both Keaton and Martin well known for their liberal politics, I'm surprised neither objected to this tired depiction of a Southern California real estate trope.

The 1991 Steve Martin comedy proved out to be popular enough to earn a sequel, much like the original Father of the Bride of 1950. All of the main cast of the first film returns in a story where the eponymous father George Banks (Martin) has gotten over the stressful wedding of his daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams) and her fiancé Bryan (George Newbern). However, when she breaks the big news about her pregnancy to the family, the grandpa-to-be becomes anxious about getting older and starts proving his youthfulness in various ways, such as selling the family's beloved house to a greedy real estate developer Habib (Eugene Levy). Life has more in store for George and his wife Nina (Diane Keaton) though, as it soon turns out that Annie's is not the only pregnancy in the family.

Again, the humour is best when it relies on Steve Martin's comical talent and charisma instead of craziness and exaggeration. Unfortunately, adhering to the rule of always making sequels bigger and louder, the writers have given more screen time to the unbelievably annoying wedding planner Franck Eggelhoffer (Martin Short) whose noisy and flamboyant scenes are certainly the weakest parts of the whole movie. The fussy bumbling caused by the impending childbirths at the end is also rather annoying and unimaginative. I think the movie works best during the more subtle scenes, such as Martin making uncomfortable faces while hiding his nervousness or arguing about the baby's surname with the overjoyed family during a dinner.

Besides the run-of-the-mill jokes, the movie also shamelessly wallows in impenetrable sentimentalism of the newborns' adorability. Especially the music is so unbelievably schmaltzy that it was really getting on my nerves while watching; can't the filmmakers just trust their material's appeal without burying it under a sweety-tweety sugar mountain? Nevertheless, despite the predictability of the plot and the not-so-hilarious jokes, George Banks is a very likable character and Steve Martin is at home in the role, so those who enjoyed the first movie will probably like this one too – the basic building blocks of the story have not been changed at all.

It's a sequel that definitely didn't need to be made, but despite that and some pointlessness that ensues within it- Father of the Bride Part II is an often charming little comedy that still manages to have the genuine heart of its predecessor. From the get go this film largely feels like a bunch of random ideas for a sequel strung together to form a plot. It's a bit messy, formulaic, and even corny at times- but somehow it still manages to be entertaining- and you won't want to stop watching in concern of what may happen next. The acting is about the same as before, Martin and Williams-Paisley often carry the film with their chemistry- and provide for the large heart the film has and honestly make it far more easy to watch. I don't know what it is about the film that I enjoyed so much, but it is bound to leave you smiling. It's not original, or as well done as the first film, but it manages to get in the same spirit and make me laugh quite a bit- and I think that's truly all you can ask to a sequel to a film about a wedding.

My Rating: 7/10.

This film is proof that sequels should never be made to comedies. Its plot is mind-bendingly thin, with poor acting all round and is swimming with ridiculous ideas (indeed the main idea that the mother and daughter could be pregnant at the same time is stretching it a bit).

My advice - do not watch this film, unless you like being bored out of your mind.