Father of the Bride (1991) review: Still funny, still tender

We watched Father of the Bride (1991) as a family, and the question with any old comedy is whether it still works today. It does. More than thirty years on it is still funny, it is still warm, and it left us in the kind of mood a good family movie should: a little wistful and in a good humour at the same time. For us it is a solid 4 out of 5.

The story in one line

George Banks and his wife Nina are proud parents of Annie. When Annie comes home from studying abroad and announces she is engaged, their whole world turns upside down. That is the whole setup, and it is all the film needs: a wedding to plan, a family to hold together, and a father who has to accept that his little girl has grown up.

The film is a remake of the 1950 original of the same name, which starred Spencer Tracy and was based on Edward Streeter’s 1949 novel. That is a good clue to why it works. A father losing his daughter to a wedding was a story worth telling in 1949, in 1950 and again in 1991, because the premise is simple, universal and does not depend on any technology or trend of its time.

Steve Martin carries it, and the cast is just as good

Steve Martin is at the centre, and he is excellent. He plays a father who is funny and stressed and moved all at once, and the film trusts him to hold all three. It is the kind of performance where you laugh, and then a moment later you recognise something about yourself.

The rest of the cast is just as strong. Diane Keaton as Nina, Kimberly Williams as Annie, and Martin Short in the supporting cast all add to the picture, and the whole family feels like a real family rather than a set of jokes. That is what makes the emotion believable. A comedy like this lives or dies on whether you believe the people, and here you do.

Why it hits harder when you are a parent

The film works on two levels, and the second one opens up once you have kids. As a father and a mother of a teenage daughter, we could put ourselves into these roles very easily, and that is what made the film emotional for us. It is hard to watch a story about a dad trying to hold on to his daughter without thinking about your own.

The jokes land at any age. The feeling lands properly when it is your life.

For the teenager on the couch, it is a different film again. She can laugh at the father without carrying the weight of him, which is a pretty good arrangement for everyone in the room.

Does it feel old?

The film is from 1991 and it looks like it, which is part of its charm. But the central idea does not age, and for us it still worked despite its age. A comedy built on people rather than on references of its decade tends to outlive that decade, and this one has.

The mood is worth saying out loud. It is a feel-good film, but it is not only that. For us it was also a little wistful, and that is what separates it from a plain comedy. You laugh, you feel something, and you finish the evening in a better mood than you started it.

Making an evening of it

It is an easy film to build a family evening around, because it gives you something to talk about afterwards. If there is a teenager in the house, the best conversation starter is the simplest one: which character did you feel for most? Parents will usually answer George. Teenagers, often enough, answer Annie, and that gap is the most interesting part of the evening.

A few practical notes for a movie night:

• Runtime: 105 minutes, so it fits on a school night without a negotiation.
• Mood: pick a night when the family has time to sit together afterwards, because the film tends to start a conversation.
• Setup: a good picture helps a film that is full of faces and small reactions. Our guide to home theater projectors for movie night covers the options if you want the full big-screen feel.
• Next film: if you want to know how to judge whether other titles suit your kids, our age guides cover the franchises that raise the question most often.

Who should skip it

Honest answer: not many people, but a few. If you want a fast, sharp, modern comedy, this is a gentler film than that. It is built around warmth and family, and its pace is the pace of a 1991 family movie. If you are watching with small children who are not yet old enough to care about weddings, they will probably enjoy the humour and drift during the quieter family scenes. And if you want a film that is only a laugh, the wistful side may be more than you were after. For everyone else, particularly parents and teenagers, it is an easy yes.

Original, remake and sequel

The 1991 film is the second telling of Streeter’s story on screen, after the 1950 original with Spencer Tracy. Charles Shyer directed this version and co-wrote it with Nancy Meyers, building on the screenplay by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. A sequel, Father of the Bride Part II, followed in 1995. We have not rated that one, so we will not judge it here, but it is the obvious next step if the Banks family won you over, and the easiest way to get both is the release that bundles the two films.

What the 1991 version adds to the story is mostly cast and tone: Steve Martin and Diane Keaton lead a family that feels lived in, and Martin Short, George Newbern, Kieran Culkin and BD Wong fill out a supporting cast that is much deeper than a family comedy usually gets.

Is it a good family movie night?

Yes, with one note. It is rated PG and runs 105 minutes, which makes it an easy fit for an evening. The humour is gentle and the family setting is warm. But the emotional core is aimed at parents and teenagers, so younger children may enjoy the comedy without feeling what the story is really about. If your household includes a teenager, it is an excellent choice, and if not, it is still a very pleasant evening for the adults.

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Is Father of the Bride (1991) worth watching today?

Yes. It holds up well more than thirty years later. Steve Martin and the whole cast are excellent, and it is funny, emotional and a little wistful. We rate it 4 out of 5.

Is Father of the Bride (1991) suitable for kids?

It is rated PG and was a family film for us. The story speaks most to parents and teenagers, so younger children may enjoy the humour without feeling what the film is really about.

Who is in the cast of Father of the Bride (1991)?

Steve Martin plays George Banks and Diane Keaton plays Nina Banks. Kimberly Williams plays their daughter Annie, with Martin Short, George Newbern, Kieran Culkin and BD Wong in supporting roles.

Who directed Father of the Bride (1991)?

Charles Shyer directed it. It is a remake of the 1950 film of the same name, which was based on Edward Streeter’s 1949 novel.

How long is Father of the Bride (1991)?

The film runs 105 minutes, which makes it an easy fit for a family evening.

Is there a sequel to Father of the Bride (1991)?

Yes. Father of the Bride Part II was released in 1995, and both films are available together in one release.