Polish Wedding

Rating:
Summary: Painful, painful and more painful
Review: Great eye candy. Terrible dialogue. Terrible acting. Right now my best friend and I are really depressed that we wasted a friday evening watching this. DON'T waste 2 hrs of your time! Run away! Fast! Don't be tempted by the gorgeous and otherwise accomplished cast. The story was slow and the theme trite. Did we say excruciating?!...

Rating:
Summary: Not worth a penny
Review: I am Polish and this is one of the most offensive movies I've ever seen. I know the difference between poking fun at your heritage and degrading it. This was definitely the latter. The movie was boring, base and had no point. I threw it out after watching it. My husband (who is not polish) felt the same way. He was shocked. We both loved "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". My husband is part Greek. "My Polish Wedding" was not funny, not cute, not intelligent, and certainly not accurate.

Rating:
Summary: what wedding?
Review: i didn't really know too much about this movie when i rented it, and just wasted more than 2 hours of precious time. this story was down right boring. I don't find claire danes very talented at all. in fact, she is one of the worst actresses of today. lena olin was probably the best actor in the entire movie. and why is it called polish wedding? there was no wedding in this film, that is a very misleading thing to do! i say don't bother! unless you really like clair danes as she is in just about every scene.

Rating:
Summary: Put this in your pipe and smoke it!
Review: I first saw this movie while flipping around channels on HBO and while at first, it did not catch my attention for reasons I shall yet to understand. Once I really did start to get into the film however, I was totally drawn into it. I understand that many reviewers here were absolutely mortified upon finishing the movie (if any of them actually gave it that long of a chance) but, honestly knowing nothing of Polish culture, did not take anything "racial" from the movie; rather, I just saw a funny, and genuinely honest story that wanted to be told.

The story focuses on the bizarre life of a large family simply trying to stay afloat in both financial and social situations of their life. Claire Danes (Hala) plays a beautiful but rebellious young girl who puts out a "pure" act in front of those who don't know her well (like the Church). Her father, Bolek, an honest and prideful baker, who is well aware of his family's problems (and secretly, while never blantly said of, his wife's affair), struggles to put up a brave front while dealing with family issues. In the movie Hala is impregnanted by the same police man who pulled her over for breaking curfew (or another unsaid reason). Hala's mother is infuriated and when Hala's lover refuses her offer of marriage several times, takes things into her own hands and drags along Hala's many older brothers to beat him up.

In the mist of the fury, Hala is chosen to represent the innocence and purity of the Virgin Mary by her church. Although Hala puts up a happy and brave front for her family, her peers ridicule her for it and eventually screw the parade as they chant obscenities to her. As Hala approaches the statue of the Virgin Mary, she questions why she was chosen and in an act of pure mockery (or more so, something only a rebellious girl could do), takes the crown she was to place on Mary's head and tops it on her own, crying out, "Put this in your pipe and smoke it!" She is punished but the movie does not get off easily without a good end; Hala (I am assuming, as the way this movie ends) marries the dull and emotionally-challeneged police man and gives birth to their baby boy and all is good once again.

This movie is not without it's imperfections; it is rather slow and the plot seems to be going absolutely nowhere at times yet, the honest portrayal of the family is so stunningly dramatic that I often found myself just staring at the TV screen in disbelief (both good and bad). I can see why many of the reviewers here are infuriated and while it can be a little too much, Polish Wedding is realistic: the eight year old soon is addicted to cigarattes, the beautiful wife is an adultress and the rebellious daughter seems to get away with everything.

I found this movie to be rather enjoyable. It's not like many other realistic cultural movies where it shows an actual portrayal of a certain lifestyle but like I said before, while I'm not an expert at the Polish culture, I can tell it's only trying to poke fun, not be racist. I didn't walk away thinking this was how all Polish acted. Then again, the message I'm getting from the Polish reviewers here is this: if "Polish Wedding" is attempting to be racist by going over the top, couldn't the same by said for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", which is merely "poking fun" of it's own cultural traditions?

Rating:
Summary: False advertising
Review: I had great hopes for this movie. Some good actors, claimed to be a comedy, etc. Worst movie in recent memory. Not one laugh. Poor movie making. During a drinking scene one persons glass is full, then half full, then full again. Lame, Lame movie. I want my money back.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Film
Review: I have seen this movie numerous times and it never gets old. There's so much going on in the story- about Claire Danes, her mother, father, and the rest of her family- to keep the movie interesting and funny everytime. I especially like how it shows the many traditions of a Polish family and community. Definitely worth buying!

Rating:
Summary: lighten up people!
Review: I just have to laugh at some of you people that bash films like this one. This movie has a terrific heart at its center, and some of you cannot accept that. Lena Olin is, once again, awesome. Ms. Danes is also convincing in her Lolita type role (although she does represent an older version) that their church hilariously selects as the town virgin! Gabriel Byrne has never been funnier and at the same time there are some powerfully poigniant moments too. Relax, world. Movies like this one are not the enemy.

Rating:
Summary: Great Actors
Review: I just saw this movie and thought it was good. The mother is a strong but complex woman. The father came off as a weak man who is willing to forgive anything. The daughter a confused young girl who knows who she loves. The best part was seeing Adam Trese in this movie, he was better looking than ever. I went to high school with him in N.Y. and had no idea how interested he was in acting. He was great and looked like a pro. I'm really looking forward to seeing him in future films. Good Luck Adam!

Rating:
Summary: Hello Hamtramck!
Review: I love this movie, mainly because the city that it is set in, Hamtramck, is where my mother and grandparents were born. Being 3rd generation Polish-American in Detroit, I can really relate to this movie, Polish mothers tend to be the final word in the family, much like Lena Olin's character in the movie. Over all it's a very good movie, touching and funny, especially when Lena Olin and her four sons go after the boy who impregnated Hala (Claire Danes) with hockey sticks. It was very touching to see the church featured in the movie, St. Florian's, because it has long been an integral part of my family. A fantastic movie, I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good movie that is NOT a "chick-flick" but one of those movies that makes you feel better about life in the long run.

Rating:
Summary: Second Worst Movie Ever Made
Review: I noticed most films are rated 4-5 stars. Its interesting, I think people only want to spend time reviewing movies they liked. Not me- I like to take time to rip films apart that deserve it. Like this one. Sorry-its just dumb. Lena Olin rolls around on a filthy men's room floor and then really gets down and dirty with her boss? OK. Clare Danes gets hit by a priest in public for trying to kiss the Virgin Mary (or whatever) statue? Thats real funny! The biggest disappointment was seeing how big Gabriel Byrne's beer belly is getting. Work out Gabe- you're a good-looking guy. Lose the dorky baker's hat too. Turkey award for this one.