Sue King

This film strikes me as a send-up of the traditional, anachronistic and superficial church wedding traditions, which contrast so strongly and deeply with the genuine sadness of a traditional church funeral. It also highlights (perhaps too positively) the often dangerous power of ‘love at first sight’. I admire the inclusion and prominence of David (David Bower), Hugh Grant’s character’s deaf brother, in showing how striking and stunning the power of sign language can be. Even though somewhat dated and rather upper class, it is an amusing and entertaining romp with hidden depths which perhaps need a little more emphasis, but it is a triumph for Richard Curtis’s underlying style and philosophy. Hugh Grant, David Bower, Charlotte Coleman, John Hannah, Simon Callow, James Fleet, Kristen Scott Thomas, Elspet Gray and Anna Chancellor stand out from the cast.