Destination Wedding (2018)

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1. 

   CodeV

   If somebody has told me before that I can watch 1.5h a movie where basically the only activity is two people talking each other and I don't feel bored - I had called him/her a lunatic. So 7 from 10 because of that, I'm not impressed either. 5 years 7 months ago
2. 

   yukononun

   I wanted to like this film. Winona and Keanu whining about people and life for over an hour? Hell yes. It was a very easy concept to pull off, but...it failed.
   
   There's a few reasons for this.
   One: The characters. Keanu's character is way too cynical, to the point of being a straight up unlikeable prick. I'm a pretty cynical and misanthropic person myself, but even I wanted him to just stop talking. He hates everything, and rants on and on in an egotistical manner (and in great detail) about every single little thing that he hates.
   Winona's character actually sees a bit of character development, and goes from being annoying to entertaining. Keanu's, though? His character becomes WORSE. By the end of the film I just wanted her to tell him to shut up and then walk away.
   Two: The scene that was almost entirely devoted to bashing the LGBT community. I know that many people won't care about this (or might even see it as a plus), but there's only so much that I can take. I'm putting this into spoilers as it's a long rant, but

   Trangender people already get enough hate in real life. Was it really necessary to make not one, not two, but THREE transphobic jokes about them?
   Transwomen were the main target of the "jokes" (of course), but it was curious to see transmen being targeted, too. They're frequently ignored by transphobic people, so it was...interesting (?) to see them under fire, too. I'd wonder what the director/writer has against the community, but it was pretty obvious after hearing the same tired lines as "men thinking they're women" or "women pretending to be men".
   You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but maybe don't use a film with famous actors to spread that message...particularly when that message is hatred towards a vulnerable group?
   
   I realise that many will roll their eyes at this comment, those are the same people that don't understand the abuse and hatred that LGBT people face every single day. Must we hear the same hatred come from the lips of our beloved actors, especially when those comments are left unchallenged?
   
   In addition, the uncomfortable bashing of pansexuality was an added "bonus". I'd like to point out that their insults weren't even accurate, as pansexuality isn't about being into "all genders". That's a new definition that has it's origins in the original, true definition.
   What pansexuality really is, is being attracted to the person because of their personality and not their appearance. This is what sets pansexual people apart from the bisexual community, as bisexual people generally take gender/sex into consideration. Appearance is also frequently considered. For pansexual people, though, appearance is very rarely considered. Gender/sex is also never considered, hence why the new definition shortened it into simply being attracted to "all genders". That's obviously not entirely accurate, as there's a huge difference between not caring which gender someone is, and automatically being attracted to all genders.
   The director/writer would've known this if he'd even done the slightest bit of research, but I guess it was easier to just bash the sexuality instead. Class.
   
   I'd like to think that Keanu and Winona don't agree with any of what they said, but I can't help but be disappointed that they said it anyway.
   I understand that actors frequently play unlikeable people, but playing a transphobic asshole (that's not portrayed as a villian) is another thing entirely...especially when they were so convincing.
   I get that Keanu's character is an ass. Maybe the director even wanted to push that point by making him transphobic. If that was true, though, then there are many other ways of doing so. Having Winona's character jump in and offer up a transphobic comment on a platter shows...what, exactly? That she's an asshole, too? What's the point, exactly?

   
   Three: The music. It was...odd. It felt out of place, and would play even during their conversations. I think there might've been a few songs, but they all sounded similar. Personally, no music at all would've been better, but a better soundtrack would've gone a long way.
   
   I liked the concept. I love the actors. I love dialogue. But I just couldn't love this.
   Maybe if it was handled by a better writer/director then I would've enjoyed it, but all in all I feel like this was a wasted use of two brilliant actors. 4 years ago
3. 

   Siskoid

   I pity the romcom fans who press play on Destination Wedding in the hopes of a Keanu Reeves/Winona Ryder feel-good romance. This movie is really Table 19 meets Before Sunset as written by a nihilist. And I think I kind of love it for that. It's an anti-romcom romcom where the characters are trapped in a romcom premise, with convenient romcom twists, and while they may occasionally feel drawn into the formula, they are too wise, disappointed, apathetic and well, broken, to fall for it. The dissection of romance, its myth and reality, especially in Keanu's deadpan delivery, made me burst out laughing a couple of times. Not so much because I agree with him - he's too cynical - but because I know people like what's being lampooned. A very awkward sex scene also makes for effective black comedy. Off-putting at first, this film feels very "written", like a stage play, and you soon realize that that's what they're going for. In fact, you could stage it as a two-hander with the actors moving from one type of bench to another and having their conversation. No other character has intelligible dialog (except what's on TV), we're always with them and are experiencing this torturous wedding experience through them. An interesting genre experiment, if you have the right mindset for it. 4 years ago

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