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Country: united_states

Year: 2003

Running time: 87

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1412528

Michael says: “TABLE 19 is a sweet romantic comedy with a very unusual pedigree… one that, in a strange way, is better than this film should have had. When Eloise is demoted from maid of honor at her oldest friends wedding to table 19, where the awkward cousin, former childhood-nanny, etc. are relegated, because she was dumped by the bride’s brother via text (the best man) she struggles with whether or not to even attend. As the former maid-of-honor, she knows exactly what table 19 means, having planned the seating arrangements with the bride. She goes, perhaps because she wants to be there for her oldest friend, and to show that being dumped won’t prevent her from supporting her friend, but more likely because she still has feelings for her ex. As expected, the table farthest from the wedding party has the awkward cousin on probation, the childhood nanny, a vague business associates of the bride’s dad, and an oversexed high-schooler relative. While everyone is miserable at first, true to form, in movies like this, they find that they all need each other, and emerge on the other side of the wedding transformed to varying degrees, and bonded in a way they never could have imagined.

“Despite the summary that sounds fairly suspect, the film is better than it should be for a number of reasons. It is written by the director, along with those indie comic geniuses, Mark and Jay Duplass, who don’t vary from the formula all that much, but to make the jokes work, and the emotions seem real. Credit some members of the cast as well. Notably, Anna Kendrick as Eloise, who is really quite sympathetic as the sad sack heroine, even when secrets are reveals and misunderstandings are uncovered. Academy Award (and Chlotrudis nominee) June Squibb is a delightfully sweet busybody as the nanny. And adding a lot to texture to vague business associates, a couple on the verge of separating is Craig Robinson, and the super talented Chlotrudis winner, Lisa Kudrow. These four truly elevate the better than average script to a higher level. The last ingredient, that is interesting, but I think couldn’t quite bring this move all the way over the finish line, was the director, Jeffrey Blitz, best known for the documentary, SPELLBOUND. While that film was loved because it felt almost scripted, like a narrative, feel-good film where the underdog triumphs at last, this film is a narrative and we expect something better… or more original. And while it was entertaining, it fell short of original. Keep it up though, Jeffrey, with friends like that cast, and the Duplass brothers, you’re bound to get another shot.

Table 19