Dig in! This "funny and poignant comedy of manners" (The New York Times), directed and co-written by Oscar(r) nominee* Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility), is an absolutely delicious feast! Winner of the Berlin Film Festival's... more » prestigious Golden Bear, The Wedding Banquet is "top-notch comedy" (Leonard Maltin)! Successful New Yorker Wai Tung and his partner Simonare blissfully happy, except for one thing: Wai Tung's conservative Taiwanese parents are determined he find a nice girl to marry! To please themand get a tax breakhe arranges a sham marriage to Wei Wei, a sexy go-getter in need of a green card. But when his family swoops down for the extravaganza, Wai Tung would do well to remember that at a traditional Chinese wedding banquet, sexual repression takes the night off!« less
Sharon F. (Shar) from AVON PARK, FL Reviewed on 8/31/2023...
I enjoyed this movie, especially since it was done in 1993, long before this was a hot topic. My only drawback was that about half of it was in Chinese. I'm dyslexic so it's hard for me to read subtitles and enjoy a movie. I have to stop the action, read the titles then go back to the movie.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Iceminx1072@yahoo.com M. from PLANO, TX Reviewed on 10/10/2012...
Love this movie!! It doesn't matter what ethnic group you belong to, it crosses cultures.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
One of the best ever
Cambel | Washington, DC USA | 06/11/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I still remember how surprised I was when I saw this movie. Back in the early 90's PC was at it's peak, in addition gay was inextricably linked to AIDS. So imagine my shock when I go to see this movie, a hilarious, touching, movie that gives a wonderfully accurate view of one gay relationship. A couple, one American, one from Taiwan have been together in NYC for years. The Taiwanese man's parents do not know he is gay so keep trying to sign him up for membership in all of these very expensive singles clubs. One of the best scenes is when he and his boyfriend are filling out the application and putting down traits his ideal woman that they think will be impossible to fullfill, "two PHD's, an Opera Singer, speaks 7 languages, ect.." It gets even better when the letter from his parents arrives saying "We've found her" This could have degenerated into a slapstick movie, especially when the parents want to come out to NYC, to throw their son a wedding but it was a Superbly done movie that kept you laughing all the way through. If you have loved any of Ang Lee's Other movies, Sense and Sensibility, Crouching Tiger Hidden Draggon, Eat Drink Man Woman, you will wonder how you've gone so long without seeing this gem. In addition it received an Oscar Nomination for best foreign film "No Subtitles, it is in English" I have loaned this movie out more times than I can count and always have a difficult time getting it back. My only wish is that more gay movies were this high quality."
What a difference 11 years makes
Thomas Janowski | Rochester, NY United States | 12/05/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I originally saw this movie in a theater in 1993 and at that time thought it was excellent. I've seen so many movies since then and have developed a liking for low-budget, indie films because the slick Hollywood films are polished beyond real life.
What a pleasure it is to see The Wedding Banquet again after all these years. I have to say it's very different from most new gay themed movies coming out today. First and foremost there is almost no male nudity. I'm sure if current films would try to get away with no male nudity.
For a movie that seems to benefit from lots of money and production values, nothing in the way of the story was lost. This is an excellent film depicting the life of a gay couple in 1993. It's about a culture clash between the growing openness of America vs. the unknown (to me) Asian cultures.
It is both a sweet love story and a dramatic film about a couple dealing with parents. I think in the end all the characters in the film ended up with more than they ever hoped for. There was honesty about being gay. There was help for an immigrant wanting to stay in the US and a gay couple was about to become parents...."
You Have To See This
Thomas Janowski | 10/16/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A Taiwanese man, living in the U.S with his partner, is quite happy until a certain problem arises: his parents have decided to visit him and his girlfriend. Why is this a problem? Well, for one thing, he doesn't have a girlfriend. He has a boyfriend, who is also white. Some people just insist on making their lives complex don't they? And so with the assistance of his friend - a Taiwanese girl who's an illegal immigrant, he attempts to solve two problems at once. If he marries her, then she can stay in America and he can keep up the pretense to his parents that he's straight. Simple, huh? Well no. The parents arrive in time for the all-important wedding banquet, and our hero finds himself doing something to his new wife that he never thought was possible. From the director of Eat Drink Man Woman this is a lovely film that is really quite funny and yet delivers serious drama, with more than competant acting."
A truthful examination of Family Values
S. Rider | Palm Springs, CA United States | 01/20/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A truly excellent film, the story begins with a happy gay couple, one American born and one from Taiwan living together in a US city.
When the old fashioned parents of the Taiwanese man continue to
pressure him to marry, he arranges a fake wedding with a young Chinese girl in need of a green card.
His parents travel to the US for the wedding, and the pressure builds as the deceit threatens to fall apart.
The pressure, complications, treachery, and energy wasted in concealing the truth all build to a potentially tragic climax.
Finally the elderly Chinese father teaches everyone involved
the true meaning of Family Values.
The most meaningful movie I have ever seen, my all time favorite."
Need a DVD!
M. Heather | Oregon | 04/02/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This movie was a surprise for me. I attended a film class with a friend and came away with a new favourite. This film doesn't just give a spectacular view of a Gay man's trials and triumphs in love; it also depicts the relationship between Father and son as they attempt to bridge the generation gap. It's delightful when we finally realize that the Father has been one step ahead of his son the entire way. There's also a happy ending which is realistic enough to be satisfying and not too fairy-tale like. What I'd really like is a DVD of this movie, with some extra's. Maybe a commentary? Some interviews with the actors? I'm more likely to look for actors' movies than directors, but with Ang Lee I don't care who the actors are, I really enjoy his work."