Four Weddings and a Funeral

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Four Weddings and a Funeral ★★★ 1994 (R)

Refreshing, intelligent adult comedy brimming with stiff upper-lip wit and sophistication. Thirtyish Brit bachelor Charles (Grant) spends his time attending the weddings of his friends, but manages to avoid taking the plunge himself. Then he falls for American Carrie (MacDowell), who's about to wed another. Great beginning offers loads of laughs as the first two weddings unfold, then becomes decidedly bittersweet. While Grant makes this a star turn as the romantic bumbler, MacDowell charms without seeming particularly needed. Supporting characters are superb, especially Coleman as the “flirty” Scarlett and Atkinson as a new minister. Surprising boxoffice hit found a broad audience. 118m/C VHS, DVD . GB Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Simon Callow, Kristin Scott Thomas, James Fleet, John Hannah, Charlotte Coleman, David Bower, Corin Redgrave, Rowan Atkinson, Rosalie Crutchley, Kenneth Griffith, Jeremy Kemp, Sophie Thompson; D: Mike Newell; W: Richard Curtis; C: Michael Coulter; M: Richard Rodney Bennett. Australian Film Inst. ‘94:Foreign Film; British Acad. ‘94: Actor (Grant), Director (Newell), Film, Support. Actress (Scott Thomas); Golden Globes ‘95: Actor—Mus./Comedy (Grant); Writers Guild ‘94: Orig. Screenplay.