Happy Ever Afters

2009 "A screwball Irish wedding comedy"
5.5| 1h44m| en| More Info
Released: 09 October 2009 Released
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Country: Ireland
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Two weddings collide when both receptions are held at one hotel.

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Reviews

Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable
Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype
Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.
Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
jotix100 Maura, a single mother, must get prepared for her wedding, something she reluctantly does. One can see her heart is not in it, but she is facing a financial crisis; she owes money to everybody. When some of her furniture is repossessed before she even leaves the house, Maura decides to go ahead with her arranged marriage with Wilson, the African man who is illegally in Ireland. Maura stands to gain about nine thousand Euros for going through the charade, which will allow her new husband in he country. Unknown to her and the future husband, their union is closely monitored by two immigration officers.Parallel to Maura's wedding, Freddy is remarrying Sophie. The first marriage did not go as well, ending in divorce. They have put aside their differences and will try again. Freddy, although doubtful this new wedding will work, has given his word to his former wife and now he cannot go back on his promise. We watch the hesitation as the priest asks Freddy for his vows. Sophie is a somewhat hysterical young woman, who might not be marrying again on her own accord but because she wants to please her parents.As fate would have it, the two wedding celebrations have been booked at the same seaside hotel. Freddy and Sophie's reception is basically all white, whereas Maura's is a mixed affair with a lot of black guests among the invited. Things do not go according to plan. Both celebrations turn out to be a disaster. Sophie, fed up with what her reception has become, flee the party and hook up with a group of lesbians in a pub. Maura and Freddy keep meeting each other in funny situations. They develop a rapport with each other they do not enjoy with their intended partners. It is not too difficult to realize they are really meant for each other.Written and directed by Stephen Burke, this appears to be his first full length feature, and it shows. The material had potential for more laughs. It is a romantic comedy with shades of screwball thrown into it. The excellent Sally Hawkins is at the center of the action as Maura. She makes a wonderful Maura. Same could be said about Tom Riley's Freddy, a handsome actor who matches his co-star well. Best of all is young Sinead Maguire who is seen as Molly, the girl who has an uncanny sense of timing, delivering a good performance that feels real, an accomplishment for the director. The action is not all even, something to do with Mr. Burke's screenplay. One gets the impression this is a film that was dumped to DVD and had a limited release.The film is worth a look because the presence of Ms. Hawkins, Ms. Maguire and Mr. Riley.
ciocio-2 I really wanted to like and enjoy this movie, but it's just not terribly good, all in all. I liked pretty much all the actors, and would like to see them in other, better movies. (I'd particularly like to see the actress playing *I think* Karen, Maura's sister or close friend; her character gets somewhat dropped in the course of the movie.) This movie was just so disjointed and ridiculous; disjointed and ridiculous is not a deal-breaker for me, but it has to work, and this just didn't. One indication of how negative an impression this made on me is reflected in what I just wrote in the message section: The element that most stood out for me in this middling little movie was the ridiculous inconsistency of the hair on Sally Hawkins' head. I'm not one of those people who generally notice goofs and screw-ups in continuity, but this was so 'in your face,' even I couldn't miss it.Even within many little scenes, from shot to shot, her hairstyle changes. Sometimes it's fairly natural looking, with a part on her left side, the bangs falling in a few segments, and the entire shape not terribly big; sometimes it's kind of like that, but with a slightly larger shape, probably from teasing yielding a bit more 'lift'; sometimes it's kind of like that, but the hair darker and more smoothed, sometimes with the bangs all sticking together in one piece; sometimes there's no part at all; and there's one point (while Maura and Freddy are outside looking for Molly, who ends up being up in a tree) where the hair appears to be a helmet-y, yucky looking wig (no part there, either).It got to be really annoying; couldn't help wondering why no one could be bothered trying to keep any kind of continuity in that element. In that scene where she particularly seems to be wearing a wig, I was taken out of the story again, wondering if these shots were filmed much later than the rest, and maybe Sally H. had cut all her hair off, so they had to use a wig and didn't have time to get a good one, and get it styled right. Just so sloppy (kind of like the run-on sentence I just typed). Too bad, but at least it's not a great movie otherwise either, in which case it would have been a real shame.
nohea414 Aloha! So I was sitting at home on a Saturday night looking through the "New Arrivals" section of my Netflix account when I stumbled across this movie.It's funny, and a bit quirky at times. I loved it! Would be a great one to watch with my wife and the lack of noticeable profanity was very very appreciated. Unlike other reviews, I enjoyed the plot thoroughly. Found the acting to be very good, especially Sally Hawkins, Tom Riley and Sinead Maguire. With Sinead totally stealing every scene she was in. Was a blast to watch and I am very happy I gave it a shot. Can't wait for my wife to see it!Great job by all involved. I highly recommend this one for it's quirky chuckle factor. Fire up some microwave popcorn and enjoy!
simona gianotti Whatever one's cinema tastes are, I think it is impossible not to appreciate this movie, marked by that sound Irish feeling for sound fun, but never disregarding some serious reflections. Two odd, newly married couples find at the same restaurant for their wedding receptions, where things will get confused, giving rise to misunderstandings, crises and final catharses. One couple is made up by Sally, in desperate need for money for her and her daughter, who has married Wilfred, a black man, in need of a citizenship, the other is the marriage between Freddie who has married who had already been his former wife, Sophie, and after a divorce and some psychoanalysis went to the altar for the second time, as a sort of last chance, with good intentions but no convictions. It s an intelligent movie, in the way it poses some questions on the real nature of marriage: despite the two major stories, also the minor characters will gradually question their relations and the meaning of their lives, and the hours spent in that restaurant will be revealing. It is interesting in the way, in the end women make the definite and resolute decisions, knowing they have to come to terms with their destiny with courage and strength, even if without a man, even against family pressure, whereas men never show any single sign of courage and determination, and just act according to women's choices. There are also some moving, but never pathetic moments, to be enjoyed as truly genuine. And the girl playing the little daughter, acting as a trait d'union between all these interrupted souls, is great. This movie proves how a well cast (both main characters and secondary ones) together with an intelligent script can make out an intelligent product, although not original in content, but certainly worth seeing as feel-good, genuinely entertaining and honest.

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