The Wedding Banquet parents guide

The Wedding Banquet Parent Guide

It's a treat to find a romantic comedy that consistently manages to nail the comedy.

Overall C

Theaters: Min doesn't want to return to Korea so he has a proposal: if Angela marries him, he'll pay for her partner's fertility treatments.

Release date April 18, 2025

Violence A
Sexual Content C-
Profanity D
Substance Use C

Why is The Wedding Banquet rated R? The MPAA rated The Wedding Banquet R for language and some sexual material/nudity

Run Time: 102 minutes

Parent Movie Review

Lee (Lily Gladstone) is devastated when her second attempt at in vitro fertilization ends in a miscarriage. As her partner, Angela (Kelly Marie Tran), attempts to comfort her, they both know Lee’s biological clock is winding down. By the time they save up the money for another round of IVF, it could be too late. Then, their friend Min offers an unorthodox solution…

The scion of a wealthy Korean family, Min (Han Gi-Chan) has been living in the US, developing his skills as a fabric artist. But his visa is close to expiring and his grandparents want him to return to Korea and assume his place as an executive in the family business. Min’s commitment-phobic partner, Chris (Bowen Yang), isn’t prepared to wed so Min suggests a deal: if Angela marries him, he’ll pay for Lee’s next round of IVF.

Not surprisingly, given the plot, The Wedding Banquet is a zany film, filled with misunderstandings, cultural miscues, and laugh-out loud moments. As Min and Angela prepare for a marriage neither of them wants, they both confront their troubled family relationships: Angela with her self-absorbed, performatively supportive mother (May Chen), and Min with his traditional grandmother (Youn Yuh-jung). Lee is sideswiped by an unexpected betrayal, and Chris confronts the deep-seated feelings of unworthiness that have sabotaged his relationship and career. All of these plotlines are filled with deep feeling and are lightened up with comedy that is consistently funny but never cruel.

The four principal actors all bring authenticity to their roles, but for me the real star of the show is Youn Yuh-jung, who plays Min’s grandmother Ja-Young. When she makes an unexpected visit to Seattle to witness the nuptials, Ja-Young is startled by the complexities of the situation. Her character deals with her own competing emotions – concern for the family’s reputation, a need to placate her homophobic husband, responsibility for the family business, love for her grandson, grief for lost opportunities. To this emotional mix, she brings sincerity, curiosity, open-mindedness, and generosity. It’s a moving portrayal.

Whether or not you enjoy this film depends largely on your beliefs around LGBTQ issues. If they are traditional, you’re unlikely to enjoy it. Allies, on the other hand, will appreciate this sensitive look at challenges facing the LGBTQ characters. Unfortunately, the film contains enough negative content to land it in the Restricted category, when it could easily have been edited down to a PG-13 level instead. There are several scenes where characters drink alcohol, even becoming intoxicated (with serious consequences). Brief nudity and implied sex are factors in the rating, as are the nearly four dozen profanities, including 13 sexual expletives. This is definitely not family-friendly entertainment.

The negative content is frustrating because The Wedding Banquet nails the rom-com genre, with a particularly strong emphasis on the comedy. This is a genuinely funny film, which can’t be said about all rom-coms. It’s also a story of love, family, forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope and has the power to bring a smile to your face

Directed by Andrew Ahn. Starring Han Gi-Chan, Kelly Marie Tran, Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Youn Yuh-Jung, May Chen. Running time: 102 minutes. Theatrical release April 18, 2025. Updated

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The Wedding Banquet
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Wedding Banquet rated R? The Wedding Banquet is rated R by the MPAA for language and some sexual material/nudity

Violence: None
Sexual Content:   There is a brief drag performance. People have frequent discussions about IVF (in vitro fertilization) and a woman undergoes the procedure on screen without anatomical detail. A woman has a miscarriage. Two men kiss. Two women kiss. There is implied sex between a man and woman. There is brief male buttock nudity: the man turns around and covers his genitals with his hands. A man is seen in his underwear.
Profanity:  The script contains just under four dozen profanities, including 16 scatological curses, 13 sexual expletives, nine terms of deity, and an assortment of crude anatomical terms.
Alcohol / Drug Use:   Adults drink alcohol at social events and to cope with stress. Adults get drunk at a party.

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Related home video titles:

Other LGBTQ rom-coms include The Half of It, The Prom, and Red, White, and Royal Blue (which is also R-rated).

For a completely over-the-top Asian wedding, you can watch Crazy Rich Asians.