Andrew Ahn's "The Wedding Banquet," offers a warm and humorous take on love, family, and modern relationships. The reimagining of Ang Lee's 1993 film centers on Min (Han Gi-chan), whose expiring green card leads to a marriage of convenience proposal to his friend Angela (Kelly Marie Tran). Angela, in turn, needs the money for IVF treatments with her partner Lee (Lily Gladstone). The arrival of Min's grandmother (Youn Yuh-jung), eager to plan a traditional Korean wedding, leads to comedic chaos.
The film interweaves the lives of its characters. Angela and Lee's journey to parenthood is complicated by Angela's evolving relationship with her mother (Joan Chen). Min's desire to marry his boyfriend, Chris (Bowen Yang), is further complicated by his immigration status.
The cast delivers strong performances. Tran brings Angela quiet strength and humor, while Gladstone embodies Lee's grounded presence. Han Gi-chan portrays Min's anxieties with relatable charm, and Yang – as expected - provides many of the film's comedic highlights.
"The Wedding Banquet" explores themes of acceptance and the evolving definition of family, but it's the chemistry of the ensemble cast that truly makes the film shine.
On the KPCW sun rating system, "The Wedding Banquet" receives four out of five suns.
