The Wedding Banquet Sundance Review — Cute but Safe LGBTQIA+ Rom-Com Remake

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Filmmaker Andrew Ahn started in indie cinema before moving into studio comedies withFire Islandand now a remake of the seminal queer filmThe Wedding Banquet. However, despite telling relatively straightforward stories, Ahn makes his movies from a place of uncommon honesty and great representation. That is the case withThe Wedding Banquet —a conventional film elevated by its cast and authenticity.

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The Wedding BanquetReview

Inspired by the 1993 classic directed by Ang Lee, the movie follows two friends — one gay and the other lesbian — who make an unusual deal: they enter into a sham heterosexual marriage so that both of them can reap the benefits they need. While the original film was a clever reinvention of the romantic comedy genre, this remake coming out 30 years later feels much less original and unique.

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Indeed,The Wedding Banquethas the same sentimental and sappy tone that virtually every romantic comedy has these days. There are “stakes,” but they are never believable because we all know that everything will work out in the end. That being said, the movie’s humor — especially the jokes that are incredibly specific to the LGBTQIA+ and Asian-American communities — ensures that the film is breezy and buoyant despite generally playing it safe.

From a technical standpoint,The Wedding Banquetalso tends to play it safe. It’s shot in a relatively plain romantic comedy style without any real sense of place or community. There are some moments in which more specific visual stylings shine through, such as an Asian line dance or a scene set in a gay club, but it does feel like a missed opportunity on Ahn’s part not to give the movie a more distinctive visual identity.

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At the heart of the film is a positive message about acceptance and love. Although the aspects of the movie that explore the gay character’s relationship with his conservative grandmother are not particularly original, they still resonate because of the unique and specific cultural representation they offer. When it comes to the relationship drama between the couples, these aspects feel more underdeveloped, particularly when it comes to the third act that feels quite rushed.

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In modernizing the film, Ahn and James Schamus have an opportunity to dive into some deeper themes about the immigration system in the United States, butThe Wedding Banquetfeels frustratingly apolitical. Because of this, this change not only feels like a waste of potential but also comes at the expense of some of the deeper emotional elements involving the LGBTQIA+ themes.

Ahn has assembled an all-star ensemble of Asian and Asian-American actors to bring the characters to life, but that should be no surprise considering that it is adapted from one of the most influential Asian-American and queer films in cinema history. Bowen Yang (SNL,Wicked), Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), and Joan Chen (Dídi) are all very funny in their roles, while Youn Yuh-jung (Minari) lends the movie a beautiful emotional core. And breakout actor Han Gi-chan is also great, giving a turn that is both very vulnerable and hilarious.

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The weakest link in the ensemble, surprisingly, is Oscar-nominated actressLily Gladstone. Although her role is not particularly comedic, it seems as if she is not well-suited for the comedy genre. Her line deliveries are extremely flat, even in the more emotional moments in the film, in which it’s really hard to believe the stakes she is selling. Considering her strong work inKillers of the Flower MoonandFancy Dance, among others, it’s almost shocking that she is legitimately bad here.

IsThe Wedding Banquetworth watching?

All in all, Andrew Ahn’s version ofThe Wedding Banquetis unlikely to be the revolutionary film that its predecessor was, but it’s a charming little romantic comedy nevertheless. Thanks to an often funny script, authentic representation, and a mostly very good cast,The Wedding Banquetworks as a charming crowd-pleaser.

The Wedding Banquetis screening at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, which runs January 22-February 2 in Park City and Salt Lake City, UT, and January 30-February 2 online.

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