Andrew Ahn’s adaptation breathes new life into this hilarious romantic comedy based on Ang Lee’s 1993 film
Filmmaker Andrew Ahn (Fire Island) and producer/screenwriter James Schamus (Eat Drink Man Woman, The Ice Storm) partnered on a new adaptation of Ang Lee’s original film (which Schamus also co-wrote and produced), The Wedding Banquet (here’s my review of the 2017 Blu-ray release, but the 1993 film isn’t currently available on physical media or streaming anywhere, which is ridiculous!). Bringing the almost 30-year-old work into 2025 required some updates. Here, the person in need of a green card marriage is Korean textile artist and chaebol grandson Min (Han Gi-chan, Where Your Eyes Linger), longtime boyfriend of birder Chris (Bowen Yang, Fire Island, SNL). The two share a garage apartment owned by neighbor Lee (Lily Gladstone, Certain Women, The Unknown Country), who is undergoing fertility treatments with her partner Angela (Kelly Marie Tran, Raya and the Last Dragon, Forge).
Rounding out the cast are Joan Chen (Saving Face, The Joy Luck Club) as Angela’s mother, with whom she shares a strained relationship, and Youn Yuh-jung (Minari, Pachinko) as the grandmother who controls Min’s purse strings. The performances are the soul of this film, but Ahn and Schamus’ screenplay has more laugh-out-loud moments than the quirky humor of the original. One example is Chen’s wry delivery of, “Why did I put years of activism into gay marriage if this is what I get?” upon Angela telling her she and Min have worked out a marriage agreement to keep him in the US.
The tenderness of the 1993 film appears again here as this updated story allows for character growth amidst mistakes and misunderstandings. The film is a delightful comedy of errors. Yang’s Chris would be Min’s ideal for a husband, but he is reluctant because of self-doubt and commitment issues. Chris’ cousin Kendall (Bobo Le) serves as his confidant, while his best friend (and college one-night-stand) Angela shares similar self doubts in her relationship with Lee.
Tran and Chen share emotional scenes together, displaying the challenges within their mother-daughter connection. There’s a quiet power to the scenes Youn and Han share as the grandmother realizes who her grandson really is. And I’d be remiss not to recognize the maturity Gladstone’s Lee brings to the group dynamic, even as she suffers failed IVF treatment.
The cinematography by Ki Jin Kim gives an additional intimacy to the work. One memorably beautiful scene shows Ja-Young (Youn) sitting pensively in the quiet reception hall, post-wedding ceremony, as staff clean up around her. Songs by indie AAPI artists pepper The Wedding Banquet, furthering the modern feel of the film. This Wedding Banquet is a fun celebration of found families, a loving depiction of a small group that has chosen to be family. We still have a good bit of 2025 to go, but Ahn’s film is likely to be one of the best of the year.
The Wedding Banquet opens Friday in theaters nationwide.
