Am not the biggest of fans of Hallmark's June Weddings films. Some have good casts and amusing moments, but more often than not they're too more of the same plot wise, over the top and also with too many annoying or/and bland characters. Expectations were a little higher than usual for 'My Favourite Wedding', having liked Maggie Lawson and Paul Greene in other things (with more familiarity with Greene) despite the plot not exciting me.
'My Favourite Wedding' turned out to be not an easy film to rate or review, but actually turned out to be pretty much what was sort of expected. It is watchable and there are definitely worse June Weddings films before and particularly since. To me, 'My Favourite Wedding' wasn't particularly good at the same time and that it was so unbalanced by the unlikeability of one major character really took away from me enjoying it any more than hoped.
There are good things. Both Lawson and Greene are more than game in their roles, Greene comes off better in the more subtle and relaxed performance and because his character is much easier to connect with. Lawson does have enough moments of charm and playfulness and if her character writing was better she would have made a bigger impression. The supporting cast also try their best.
It looks good, lovely scenery and slickly shot. The music is pleasant and fits tonally enough, the placement also not getting too much.
Really disliked Lawson's character however, far too disrespectful and self centered and Lawson overplays those traits on occasions, especially later on when the material becomes more contrived. Would have liked more chemistry between the leads, there are glimpses of it and there is some charm to it but it never fully connects and it never feels particularly well fleshed out. The same goes with the characters in general, with the only interesting (the only one to rise above cipher level) or likeable one being Greene's (and even he starts to frustrate a bit in the final act when he becomes on the naive side).
While some of the dialogue is light hearted, it is at other times rather flat and stilted and also felt forced in the conflict in the final act. Nobody expects a Hallmark film to be innovative, and most follow the same formula or similar. This was like seeing the same June Weddings film for like the tenth time at least and with little variation, making the story feel rather tired and too easily telegraphed. None of the situations are executed with much spark, and instead come over as bland and annoying. It is easy to predict what the ending is, but part of me really didn't want it to happen and that it would do something different but it went down the too easily resolved route.
Summing up, watchable but could have been more with a fresher story and a much easier to like female lead character. 5/10.
