Rating: 
Summary: Excellent slice of life from Buenos Aires 2001
Review: "Son of the Bride" surprised me - I was leery of a maudlin look at Alzheimer's and its impact. You know, a standard "Movie of the Week" treatment. Instead, this is a great look at one family trying to survive in the economic maelstrom that is Argentina, circa 2001. The tough economic conditions pressure Ricardo Darin's Rafael throughout the first third of the movie. It builds and builds to a crescendo. He spends the last hour+ trying to pick up the pieces. The movie never feels contrived or forced. The translation is crisp and not overwhelming. The sound quality is excellent - all of the dialogue can be heard, replete with that distinctive Argentinian accent. Although Darin is excellent here, I've got to think that this movie will long be remembered as Natalia Verbeke's stunning debut. Try keeping your eyes off this girl whenever she's on the screen. Simply luminous.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: A rollercoaster between deep drama and laughter. Unbelievable example of the wonderful mix of Spanish and Italian cultures that dominate in Argentina. Absolutely loved it!
Rating:
Summary: What's it all About, Rafael?
Review: As with "Lantana" earlier this year, "Son of the Bride " deals with a man (Ricardo Darin as Rafael) approaching middle age and questioning everything about his life and career and wanting, craving really a change. But whereas, "Lantana" is a hard hitting, in your face, frankly sexual murder mystery..."Son of the Bride" is a humane and gentle reflection on what is and what might have been in the life of Rafael Belvedere, his parents, his daughter, girlfriend and his ex-wife. Rafael's father Nino settled in Argentina in the 1920's and opened a restaurant with his mother, Norma played by the South American Meryl Streep, Norma Aleandro who is now in the throes of Alzheimers. Rafael took charge of the restaurant when Nino retired and has built up the business to the point that a huge corporation is anxious to buy it. Rafael is literally at the end of his rope: overworked, spread too thin and not at all happy with his relationships with others when he has a heart attack and begins the process of re-evaluating his life and goals.
There is a beautifully written and acted scene between Rafael and his mother in which Rafael, trying to heal wounds that developed years before when he decided to go into the family business instead of going to college, explains to the pathetically non-comprehending Norma that he has made a success of the failing family business and that his not going to college was a blessing. Rafael breaks down and sobs because he knows he should have healed these wounds before his mother's illness and because his mother is now way beyond the point of understanding and more importantly sharing in his triumphs and his financial windfall. This scene is extraordinarity heartfelt in that the very personal tragedy of this family becomes universal because of the directors (Juan Jose Campanella) deft and unobtrusive handling of the actors and the mise en scene.
"Son of the Bride" is shot in the deep rich, almost baroque colors of "The Godfather,"which adds an extra depth of latin flavor and sensibility to the proceedings.
All the acting is first rate with Ricardo Darin coming off best in the meatier role. His Rafael is at times King Lear and at others Hamlet: raging at this life and moodily pondering his future. Norma Aleandro is luminous as Norma: her quietly pathetic descent into Alzheimers is a model of the small gesture and quiet nuanced vocal utterance...a far cry from Judy Dench's over-the-top, operatic performance in "Iris."
"Son of the Bride"once again reminds us that that we can no longer ignore the fact that the filmmakers of South America are producing some of the finest films and best performances of the new Milennium ("Burnt Money" "Our Lady of the Assassins") and it behooves any of us interested in the best of the contemporary cinema to pay close attention.
Rating:
Summary: Splendid
Review: Great acting all across the board! A tear-jerker, feel-good drama that has great wit, Hijo de la Novia should appeal to all film lovers who appreciate fine cinema.
A selfish middle-aged restaurant owner's charismatic father decides to spend his savings on a full-blown wedding for his Alzheimer-stricken "girlfriend" of 44 years. After the restauranteer suffers a stroke, he begins to see his life from a new perspective. His father's love of his mother inspires him, and he begins to make ammends.
There are so many fine performances, the excellent script was totally brought to life by these fine actors. This will make you laugh and cry, an absolute must-see.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best South American firms I have seen
Review: I initially watched the firm to learn Spanish but it turns out to be the best firm that I have ever seen--even though I have not seen too many. It's very uplifting and brought out all the good things in life.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and moving
Review: I was very moved by this movie. A beautiful script and terrific acting.
Rating:
Summary: AS LIFE IS
Review: If some of your parents are or were in this kind of house for third age people...you will find a lot of very well known places for you during the movie.
Also you probably will revisited your own relatinoship with your parents or those people that you ever love even if you had differences with them.
All from the best side of your remembers.
If you have something lost about loved people try to find trhought this way.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful film!
Review: Just from reading the small blurp on the back of the DVD box, I had the impression that this was one of those "disease of the week Hallmark films." The disease in this particular film was Alzheimer's. The title of the film, "Son of the Bride" combined with the description of the plot, led me to believe that the film was about a man whose parents want to remarry--the plot complication was that the mother had Alzheimer's. After watching and enjoying "Nine Queens," I decided to give "Son of the Bride" a try--both films are from Argentina and both star Ricardo Darin. "Son of the Bride" was a wonderful film, and the parents who want to remarry in spite of the Alzheimer problem is a sub-plot within the much larger, richer theme of the film. The subject of Alzheimer's is handled with grace and dignity, and this film was not a voyeuristic tear jerker but rather a warm, funny intelligent view of how complicated life can become, and how solutions can be simpler than we first imagine. Rafael(Ricardo Darin) is a restauranteur in Argentinia. He enjoys running the Belvedere restaurant is spite of the fact that owning the restaurant is extremely stressful and fraught with problems. Rafael seems to thrive under all the stress of juggling suppliers, employees and bills. He is good at his job--in fact, the Belvedere is the only thing that Rafael is proud of. Unfortunately, his relationships have suffered as a consequence of devoting himself to the restaurant. He's divorced (and wishes he was a widower), hasn't visited his mother in the nursing home for over a year (she has Alzheimer's), takes his devoted girlfriend for granted, and has little time for his daughter. Everyone around Rafael can see that his relationships are problematic--everyone except Rafael, of course, who thinks things are fine as they are--and then a crisis occurs which forces Rafael to examine his relationships differently... Ricardo Darin is simply a wonderful actor. Eduardo Blanco plays his friend, Juan Carlos--a man who has suffered through a crisis of his own and helps Rafael to see the possibilities of change. Blanco was great fun to watch. He really reminds me of Roberto Benigni. Rafael's ex-wife was a great character too. I really enjoyed their scenes.
Rating:
Summary: Truly the best film of 2001 and one of the best films ever!
Review: Son of the bride is a drama/comedy whitch is beautifully written, acted and directed. Ricardo Darin (one of my favorite actors of all time) completely takes this movie to the limit with fantastic acting. A great movie.
Rating:
Summary: The best film I have seen for a long time !!!
Review: The actors are grate and the story touching.
Did not see a film that had so much effect on my for a long time a must see film.
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