Grade (85%)
“TABLE 19” a wedding themed comedy starring Anna Kendrick, Lisa Kudrow, Craig Robinson, Wyatt Russell, Stephen Merchant, Tony Revolori and June Squibb. It’s directed by Jeffrey Blitz and the story follows Eloise played by Anna Kendrick who was the maid of honor until she was dumped by the best man. She reluctantly decides to go as a guest to the wedding that she helped plan, and when she gets there she realizes she’s been placed at ‘table 19,’ with the other unwanted guests.
This to me, turned out to be a simple, subtle, but surprisingly deep comedy that conveys multiple character dynamics without ever leaning towards melodramatic at all. The ensemble cast are well suited for their roles and the blend of different personalities and comedic styles all mesh together effectively for the stories intention.
We have all seen wedding comedies before. Some are raunch-coms, some are aimed towards warming you heart, and other pound away at you with a rom-com story direction. “Table 19” was a blend of all these angles and it all fits together to create a story-line filled with relatable characters, organic conversations, as well as an appealing variety to the comedic delivery.
The cast as a whole were fantastic in my opinion. Anna Kendrick does a great job of carrying this film. She was convincing as she portrays an emotional fragile character that felt natural and not at all over bearing. Lisa Kudrow and Craig Robinson were also very good as a troubled couple who were dealing with an unfulfilled life.
The rest of the cast were all great additions as well, with each having their own moments to leave their impression on the story. It was clear the writers were well aware who their cast was. Aware of what style of comedy worked best for each of them, and they tailored the dialogue to that. Something that helped make the material feel more believable, more natural, thus easily able to resonate with you as you watch.
This collection of characters all had a backdrop, and it was delivered in small timely doses for each of them as the film progressed. Continuing to learn more about them, their history, and why they were at the wedding helped maintain the intrigue which made the amusing conversations much more engaging. Making it feel like one of the more realistic wedding comedies I remember seeing.
While it may hit more as a comedy one moment, and more as a drama the next. It still feels like a story following a natural flow and not a film losing its focus. Because this was a story, to me, that felt like it was exploring characters, and not a movie that was trying to fit itself into a single genre. “Table 19” was a fun movie with a comedic style that can connect with a wide audience.