AFTER THE WEDDING (2019)

AFTER THE WEDDING is a remake of the 2006 Oscar-nominated Danish movie written by Susanne Bier. The 2019 screenplay rewritten by Bart Freundlich is an emotional roller coaster with raw, naturalistic, complicated characters that are fascinating to watch.

The movie opens up in a remote village in India where a woman named Isabel is teaching a group of young children in an orphanage. She is especially close to a little 8-year-old boy who we later learn she raised herself after she discovered him abandoned on the side of the road. Isabel is preparing to leave India for New York upon the request of a multi-millionaire who is considering donating $2 million to the orphanage. Isabel is not pleased she has to leave the children to beg for money from a wealthy New Yorker, but she agrees to go for the sake of the children’s needs.

When Isabel arrives in New York, she immediately feels out of place. She misses the children back in India and craves her simple life. She goes to meet Theresa to talk with her about the orphanage. Surprisingly, Theresa is not one of those stuck-up CEOs you would imagine one to be. She’s a hard-working go-getter with a compassionate personality. She has a brief talk with Isabel about the orphanage but confesses she can’t have this conversation right now because her daughter’s wedding is in a couple days. She invites Isabel to her daughter, Grace’s, high-end New York wedding and encourages her to attend. She agrees to talk with Isabel about the orphanage after this hectic, massive wedding is over. She extends Isabel’s stay in a posh hotel and buys her a lovely dress to wear to the wedding.

Isabel attends the wedding, where her heart is rattled. She realizes Theresa’s daughter is not Theresa’s biological daughter. Grace is Theresa’s adopted daughter, and Isabel is Grace’s birth mother. When Isabel is introduced to Theresa’s husband, she’s numb with disbelief. Theresa’s husband is her old boyfriend, Oscar, who got her pregnant 20 years ago. After the wedding, Oscar informs Theresa that Isabel is their daughter’s birth mother. After a challenging talk, Theresa and Oscar set their daughter, Grace, down and inform her Isabel is her birth mother. It’s revealed that Oscar and Isabel, 20 years ago, decided to give up Grace for adoption. They split ways, but Oscar returned to the orphanage without telling Isabel and took their daughter back. He raised her on his own until he met and married Theresa, who took Grace in as if she were her own daughter.

When Grace finds out Isabel is her birth mom and that her father never informed Isabel but took Grace back from the orphanage, she’s confused and distraught. She struggles to forgive her parents for lying to her. In turn, Isabel struggles to forgive Oscar for being dishonest to her. Thresa pays for Isabel to stay longer in New York so she can get to know her daughter.

However, just when the audience thinks all is well, the emotional plot thickens. Theresa has a secret herself, which to a tragic, yet beautiful and uplifting, ending.

AFTER THE WEDDING is a remake of a 2006 Danish movie. It tells a beautiful story with strong positive values, excellent character development, and twists and turns that will keep viewers on their toes. It’s an extremely emotional story, so be prepared to shed some tears. The high production values are exquisite with contrasting shots of New York City and a lowly orphanage in India. The movie has a strong moral, redemptive worldview promoting forgiveness. However, some tricky family situations, dishonesty and brief foul language warrant caution for older children.