Movie Review: ‘Top End Wedding.’
A romantic comedy about doing whatever it takes for the ones you love
By Lisa D. DeNeal
I’ve heard some people say that if you want to test your friendship or relationship, go on a lengthy road trip. In the romantic comedy, ‘Top End Wedding,’ one couple’s road to happily ever after is at stake.
‘Top End Wedding’ was featured in Sundance 2019 and is the second highest-grossing Australian movie in Australia in 2019. The film takes place in the Northern territory of Australia. It is the story of Lauren (Miranda Tapsell) and Ned (Gwilym Lee), who have ten days to find her mother, who has gone AWOL before their dream wedding. They also have to reunite her mother with her father, who is at his breaking point, which is pretty comical at times. The race to find Lauren’s mother also tests Lauren and Ned’s patience and devotion to each other.
Tapsell co-wrote and produced, ‘Top End Wedding’ with writer/actor Joshua Tyler and directed by actor Wayne Blair, who also co-stars in the film. ‘Top End Wedding’ is also a love story to Australia. Filmed in various locations — Darwin(Tapsell’s birthplace), Tiwi Islands, Kakadu, Arnhem Land, and Nitmiluk/Katherine Gorge, Katherine — I saw the beauty of Australia. I also got a view of strong representation of the Aboriginal community. Aboriginal Australians are indigenous people of various mainlands, including Tiwi Islands.
‘Top End Wedding’ opens with a 1976 flashback of a young bride running away from her intended groom and, well, the entire wedding party. She literally gets away from them via a small motorboat that she steers from the island. Fast forward to present day 2000’s and Lauren Ford is a professional corporate woman with an attorney boyfriend, Ned Pelton (Gwilym Lee). Ned proposes to Lauren on what seems to be a whim, but wants to wait a few months before a wedding. This changes when Lauren is given a ten-day vacation from her boss, to get married and enjoy a honeymoon before returning to nonstop work.
Lauren and Ned head to Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory, so Ned can meet his in-laws. When they arrive, they discover through Lauren’s heartbroken father, Trevor( Huw Higginson), that her mother’s left him. The poor man’s so distraught, he hides in the food pantry with a radio/cassette player that plays iconic rock band Chicago’s classic, “If You Leave Me Now” at the mere mention of his wife. This leaves Lauren and Ned on a wild goose chase to find Daffy Ford (Ursula Yovich) and bring her back in time for her daughter and soon to be son-in-law’s big day.
‘Top End Wedding’ is a beautiful film with plenty of comical moments, as well as dramatic. The supporting cast of characters, girlfriend squad, family and friends, and a few extras, make it a well-rounded film. If you’ve never been to Australia, like I haven’t, you also get a brief history of the Aboriginals, their languages — there’s traditional and new Tiwi languages blended in the film — and the gorgeous scenery. There’s also the themes of relationships, family and communication. You also get the typical dance scene to a popular song (Lauren is a Janet Jackson fan) and the usual mayhem. It works. I give Top End Wedding 3.5 stars.
‘Top End Wedding’ will be available in Digital/VOD, February 21, 2020.
Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=VO0kAGZmtk8&feature=emb_logo
Film: Top End Wedding.
Written by Miranda Tapsell and Joshua Tyler.
Director: Wayne Blair.
Produced by A Goal Post Productions in association with Tapsell, Tyler and Cordi and KoJo Entertainment.
Genre: Romantic comedy/drama/independent.
Running time: 113 minutes.
Distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
