Mesa 19

I decided to watch 'Table 19' because I had already seen all of the major blockbuster movies and it looked like a harmless, little piece of fluff. Once the movie started and the guests were seated, the movie really felt like a wedding reception and it became more interesting. The story seemed like it was going to use the same old wedding-story plot, but they threw in quite a few unexpected twists. I really enjoyed the movie more than I thought I would. It was a nice little surprise.

I've been reviewing films off and on for about five years. And if there is one thing I've learned about criticism is that the vast, unchallenged mean between absolutely great movies and downright terrible ones hides a lot of non-committal fence sitting. I'm guilty of it myself; in today's age of instant self-gratification, it's easy to cobble together a knee-jerk opinion based on someone else's ideas. Problem is those ideas, whether valid or not, sometimes creates a subterfuge of undeserved hype or undeserved vitriol depending on the circumstance. They feed a cycle of wafer-thin subjectivity masquerading as authoritative proof of something's worth. This is why, for example a movie like Equilibrium (2002) can be seen as something more than a splashy Matrix (1999) rip-off while movies like Mystery Team (2009) are swept under the rug.

So it is with Table 19, a movie no one will likely see because the critical consensus is so bad that it's created its own negative feedback loop. Table 19 takes place over the course of several hours of a wedding reception at a rustic hotel lodge. As the happy couple celebrates their new marriage amid friends and family, a small group of strangers sit at the back table, forcing uncomfortable banter and gracelessly ignoring the reason for their position in the back. Among them are the argumentative Kepps (Kudlow and Robinson), the dotty Ms. Jo (Squibb), gawky teen Renzo (Revolori), distant cousin Walter (Merchant) and Eloise (Kendrick) the disgraced ex-Maid of Honor who was dumped by the Best Man (Russell).

To say Table 19 is "ridiculous and a mess," is a bit of an understatement. As critics rightly point out, the pacing is stop and go, the editing is slapdash and the high-concept simply doesn't have the wherewithal to make it through a feature-length movie. Once the initial awkward niceties are flushed under the force of the first big narrative reveal, the film descends into a checklist of soapy plot-points and lazy character short hands. Much like 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag (a similarly imperfect ensemble farce), Table 19 klutzily mixes its farcical elements with broad, sweeping story setups and has them slosh about until the runtime wears out. On top of it all, the tone shifts wildly depending on who you're following at the time.

Thing is, I actually liked 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag, and I liked Table 19 too for much the same reason. The characters, as broad as they may be at times never ceased to entertain; Stephen Merchant's portrayal as a familial pariah Franken-walking through the banquet hall is worth the admission price alone. As are Renzo's far too honest conversations with his mother (Martindale in a superb unseen role) which mostly consist of him rolling his eyes while she pushes him to "get laid already." Behind the Kepps' increasingly hostile quibbling and Grandma Jo's insistence that she'll be remembered (just you wait), lays a unified feeling of melancholy.

That feeling of melancholy along with some solid comedic setups and payoffs permeate through the film's cosmetic faults. Every time you're distracted by an awkward cut or taken aback by some of the more hammy moments, the film quickly lulls you back with its quixotic charm.

Helping to dry up this mess and put it back into a nice looking bucket is the relentless Anna Kendrick who by now has turned the neurotic jilted girl archetype into a symbol of quasi-empowerment. While she wins no brownie points for that here, there's something near noble about the way she throws herself into the fray. She easily elevates an already stellar cast and sells the hell out of the movies main conceit.

Much like the twangy banjo version of Pachabel's Canon in D that plays over the film's title sequence, Table 19 is a unique version of a very old cultural tradition. It's certainly not the best version of what it could be but with more than a handful of charming performances, this delightful little farce deserves a little better than the wedding inspired japes it's been getting from critics. Perhaps it's a case of ugly duckling syndrome on my part, but I'm going to go ahead and say "I Do" to this one.

It's Francie Millner's wedding. Her oldest friend Eloise McGarry (Anna Kendrick) reluctantly accepts the invitation and is relegated to sit with the unwanted randoms at Table 19. Her ex Teddy is Francie's brother and the best man. She is joined by diner owning couple Bina Kepp (Lisa Kudrow) and Jerry Kepp (Craig Robinson). There are also the released prisoner Walter Thimble (Stephen Merchant), awkward mama's boy Renzo Eckberg, and long ago nanny Jo Flanagan (June Squibb).

This starts off as a light quirky comedy. It takes a couple of dark turns and ends up with an awkward mix of light and dark tones. The group, filled with great comedic talents, grew on me and I find myself wanting to sit at the bad table. It's mostly due to June Squibb and her sincerely touching nanny Jo. There is one twist that does upend much of my expectations. Huck needs a higher caliber actor to give the movie a better misdirection. Despite the little problems, I really fall for this group.

the film with that cast - Anna Kendrick, Lisa Kudrow, Craig Robinson, Toni Revolori being some of my favorites - could really have been fun and truly enjoyable. But a good cast doesn't make a good script. I wonder how tailored each role is for the cast, I'm guessing apart from Anna's role not so much? Not sold on the bulk of the film / the main pairing much so that was particularly not enjoyable for me. However, June Squibb was lovely and Stephen Merchant was a welcome oddball (though the humor overall of the film doesn't really land). Conclusions for other story lines were not really satisfying and there was cheesiness all through out.

This is a pleasant, enjoyable movie that will appeal to everyone- especially those who are on the outskirts of life and do not quite fit in. Anna Kendrick is one of six characters who have been invited to a wedding. Each of the characters does not quite fit the mold of someone you would really enjoy hanging out with so they are seated at a table far away from the bride and groom. Kendrick is the ex-girlfriend of the bride's brother and she still pines for him. The others are a group of quirky characters. Those at Table 19 slowly begin to learn about each other and work together to help Kendrick and each other through a series of mishaps. This leads to a number of scenes that will have you chuckling throughout the movie.