Father of the Bride Part II (1995)

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The first film was the remake of the original version starring Spencer Tracy and Dame Elizabeth Taylor, and it became very popular, so naturally they felt like a sequel was needed to continue the story. Basically George Banks (Golden Globe nominated Steve Martin) is getting used to the fact that his daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) has become the bride now wife and got married to Bryan MacKenzie (George Newbern), and more surprisingly a mother when she reveals she is pregnant. With this revelation comes out George has a small midlife crisis, and he tries to recapture his youth, including dying his hair, but he does eventually settle somewhat and get used to the idea that he will be a grandfather. But then he is shocked to find out he will be a father again as well when his wife Nina (Diane Keaton) reveals that she is also pregnant, and it may appear that both her and Annie's baby will be born on the same day. With these things happening, and the house having leaks and termites there is the opportunity to change things by selling the house to Mr. Habib (Eugene Levy), but he changes his mind later. When George manages to get the house back, despite a higher price, he gets the help of camp wedding planner/coordinator, now interior designer, Franck Eggelhoffer (Martin Short) to make the baby rooms and get things ready for the arrival of children. There are a couple of false alarms from Annie where she thinks the baby is coming, but eventually it comes to the real thing, and they rush to hospital, and of course Nina goes in to labour as well. In the end George is very happy to be holding both his new baby son and his new baby granddaughter is his arms, before his daughter and her husband move away to their own new home. Also starring Kieran Culkin as Matty Banks, B.D. Wong as Howard Weinstein, Peter Michael Goetz as John MacKenzie, Kate McGregor-Stewart as Joanna MacKenzie and Jane Adams as Dr. Megan Eisenberg. I can see what the critics mean by giving it two out of five stars in certain places, it certainly isn't as funny as the original film, it concentrates more on the sentimental material, but that's not a bad thing for this comedy drama. Okay!

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the first movie. It was not without sentiment and it was hardly original, but it was still beautifully filmed, well acted, charming and funny. This sequel is not as good as the first I agree, but I still quite enjoyed it. The story is predictable, and there are some so-so parts in the script. Eugene Levy, who I do like by the way, is okay here but his character felt somewhat unnecessary and felt like he was there as an additional character and to give the film a longer length. And I also would have liked to have seen more of Kimberley Williams, she is so beautiful and quite a good actress, but I actually do agree that a little too much time is spent between Steve Martin and Diane Keaton. However, it is beautifully filmed, has a nice soundtrack, decent pacing and good direction. And the acting is fine too, Steve Martin and Diane Keaton are still very likable, and while as I've said I would have liked to have seen more of her Kimberley Williams was lovely. And I loved Martin Short here too, he was one of the main merits of the first film, so to see him in his wonderfully fluffy turn again was a very nice surprise. Overall, not bad at all, could have been better, but I liked it. 6/10 Bethany Cox

As much as I want to rag this movie, make fun of it, call it all kinds of names, belittle it, mock it and otherwise totally trash it, I can't and that is for one reason: Steve Martin. Mr. Martin saves this movie from cinematic oblivion, allows this movie to survive, function and prosper. He is proof that an actor can save a sorry script, can raise the level of a story, can make a movie watchable. Mr. Martin proves once again that he is arguably the finest comedy actor today. He can take the dumbest line and make it sound brilliant; he can take the most insipid scene and raise it to the level of comedy or drama. Kudos to Steve Martin for his sterling performance. As for the other star, Diane Keaton, her performance is wonderful too, but it is Mr. Martin who carries this movie and once again proves that he is the star.

as sequels go,this is film isn't too bad.i didn't think ti was quite as good as the first one,but it's not a bad effort.i didn't find it as funny,and some of Steve Martin's histrionics are old and seem forced a bit too me.really,this one doesn't quite have the same sincerity as the first.through much of this movie,i was all too aware i was watching a movie,whereas with firs tone,i was drawn in,and less aware i was watching a movie with people acting.having said that,there are some bright spots.for,one,this movie is just as touching as the first.and Eugene levy has a great cameo.and there is still some fun to be had.even though this may seem too high a rating after much of what i said above,i still think Father of the Bride II is a 7/10