Wedding Diary结婚那件事 : little gem specially for Valentine

Just in time for an early valentine movie, we decided watch Wedding Diary. A sucker for local movie, both referring to Malaysian and Singaporean movie, I would have watched it one time or the other. Although we were still recuperating from our last local movie outing watching Ah Beng which ended up much lower than what we expected, I personally still have high hopes for ANiu since his last movie, Ice Kacang Puppy Love is one of my personal all time favourite movie. Then, I realized that the director was Adrian Teh; personally I got nothing against the chap, but his last outing, Lelio Popo was not on my list of a good movie. Finger crossed, I entered the cinema.

The cinema was rather packed for a Sunday night, and that is a good sign. The movie started with Aniu's narration, and it was rather a nice way to start the show. Wedding Diary is a simple film, Aniu fall in love with Elaine Kwong, and decided to get married. Like any typical Chinese, wedding being once in a lifetime thingy, one would spend a humongous amount on it. Even when Aniu clearly could not afford, he kept on signing cheques after cheques. Subsequently was few funny incident involving the wedding reception and after that. Tucked in the main story was love story about the groom and bride's parents.

Acting was great. Solid. Aniu looks nerdy and Elanne looked gorgeous but weirdly, chemistry is great. And I would not expect a HongKong actress could speak Mandarin so well. Would not expect award winning Kara Hui to be in, but she did few strong emotionally filled scene in the movie. Cinematography is great, in fact I really enjoy few of the scene which is simply breathtaking.

Now, the thing that make or break the film. The script. It is definitely not as funny as any comedy. The trailer may make one think that way, but as a comedy, it is not so funny at all. Yes, there are moments that will tickle you, but none that I would laugh aloud. And even the funny scenes are too few in between. Nothing compare to last CNY outing by Aniu, Homecoming which is a superbly funny movie. However, if you view Wedding Diary as a love comedy, then it works well. It may not be as cliche as the western romantic comedies which may be likened to a enormous dinner in expensive restaurant, filled with lots of extravangant events, and the girl ended up with the guy in a logic defying scene yet so touching when they profess their love. This, on the other hand, felt more like a charkueytiao on the roadside stall. Small, yet so delicious that you may actually feel happy in the end of the meal. It actually works.

It is a celebration of love. How things may not get smooth after marriage (as wrongly suggested by most romantic comedy that every pair will get married in the end of film). How all these difficulties made one forget that love is the basis of all marriage. And how love in the end of all, conquers all. What to say, I kind of enjoy the story. And the side story of Aniu's father, was rather touching, though still cliche.

In the end, it is an enjoyable movie. A gem, in fact, to remind us all that the true meaning of Valentine.

ratings: 3 poink!

comments: with the recent many marriages around, this movie brings back many many memories.... probably for the bulk of us who got married recently, or going to, this is the movie to watch.