Muriel's Wedding

By Simon Woodhouse

Some movies seem to capture perfectly the atmosphere and the attitude of the era within which they're set, and they don't have to be Victorian costume dramas either. If anything, a movie set in modern times has to work that much harder to create a genuine sense of place, and if its portrayal isn't true we'll know, because after all, we were there. Though Muriel's Wedding is a brilliant film on many levels, its representation of early 90s culture is the foundation that underpins everything else in the movie. The beginning of the 90s was a bit of a nothing era - the 80s hadn't quite rolled over and died, and if you didn't like grunge (the music or the look) the decade had so far offered you nothing to identify with. This lack of identity seems to pop up again and again in Muriel's Wedding, and it mirrors the main character's own personal dilemma.

Muriel Heslop (Toni Collette) lives on Australia's Gold Coast, in the wonderfully named town of Porpoise Spit. She's an out-of-work, slightly overweight, unhappy girl in her early twenties who fantasizes about getting married. An overbearing father and a mouse of a mother offer her nothing in the way of role models. Her 'friends', such as they are, don't really like her - she doesn't wear the right clothes or listen to the right music. Muriel hasn't left the 80s behind yet, and still idolizes ABBA.

When she's dumped by her friends, and then fixed-up with another dead-end job by her father, she decides to take some money from the family savings account and head off to Hibiscus Island for a dream holiday. But she doesn't do this in a malicious way. There's not a bad bone in Muriel's body, she's just very confused about who she is, and life in general.

The holiday turns out to be the best thing she's ever done (at least to start with). Whilst on the island she bumps into Rhonda (Rachel Griffiths), an old school friend. Through a misunderstanding Muriel does nothing to try and clear up, Rhonda thinks she's there on a last fling before getting married. The two of then have a whale of a time, and provide the film with one of its best moments - the ABBA karaoke scene. Muriel and Rhonda have a real onscreen chemistry, and even though they're chalk and cheese, they come across as natural friends.

Once back in Porpoise Spit, Muriel has to face the consequences of spending all the family's savings. But she doesn't want to, so she leaves the Gold Coast and heads to the big city to stay with Rhonda. For a while things go well, and she even manages to get a boyfriend of sorts - the gormless Brice (Matt Day). However Muriel's living in a fantasy world that involves being less than truthful with Rhonda. She's also taken to trying on wedding dresses, whilst spinning the shop assistants all sorts of tall tales.

Though as a character Muriel is a victim of her own hopelessness (to a degree), it's still difficult not to like her. Toni Collette plays the role with such earnestness, she invests Muriel with a genuine vulnerability that makes it hard not to feel sorry for her, even when she's lying to her friends and stealing her parent's money. This works because the people around her are far less caring than she is. There's no edge to Muriel, nothing nasty or spiteful or greedy. When watching the film you'll find yourself wishing nothing but good things for her.

Pretty soon life in the big city starts to go wrong, and she's faced with the awful prospect of going back to Porpoise Spit. Then she crosses paths with David Van Arckle (Daniel Lapaine), a South African swimming champ who needs to marry an Australia girl so he can compete for the Aussies at international level. David's not keen on Muriel, but egged on by his coach he marries her. At last Muriel's dream has come true - a huge church wedding with all the trimmings. It's a sham though, and once the confetti has finished falling she's faced with cold, hard reality.

Definitely funny enough to be classed as a comedy, the film nonetheless has more than its fare share of tragic moments, all of which eventually lead Muriel to realize friends are more important than weddings, or money, or what people think of her. The final scene, though tinged with sadness, has a feel good factor of ten.

Responsible for bringing both Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths to the world's attention, the film also features a first rate performance by Bill Hunter as Muriel's father. The ABBA sound track adds an extra layer of cheesy charm, especially the scene where Muriel and Rhonda are listening to Fernando. A grainy, TV quality texture to the visuals gives the film a down-to-earth look, something that perfectly suits the subject matter. Released in 1994, time has actually been kind to this movie, because now it has the added appeal of being a nostalgia thing, as well as a thoroughly lovable, bittersweet comedy.