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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Son of the Bride
Sony Pictures Classics


9.5

based on 29 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 10 votes
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Internet Movie Database

MPAA RATING: R

Starring Ricardo Darín, Héctor Alterio, Norma Aleandro, Eduardo Blanco, Natalia Verbeke, Gimena Nóbile, David Masajnik, and Claudia Fontán

At age 42, Rafael Belvedere (Darín) is having a crisis. He's overwhelmed by his numerous responsibilities and just isn't having any fun. But when his father makes the decision to fulfill his mother's dream of getting married in a church, it gives Rafael a task to focus on, stirring him to action, and bringing the family together to create a new memory they can share. (Sony Pictures Classics)

GENRE(S):	Foreign
WRITTEN BY:	Juan José Campanella Fernando Castets
DIRECTED BY:	Juan José Campanella
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: September 10, 2002 Video: September 10, 2002 Theatrical: March 22, 2002
RUNNING TIME:	124 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	Argentina
LANGUAGE(S):	Spanish (with English subtitles)

Original title in Argentina "El Hijo de la Novia"; Nomination, Best Foreign Language Film, 74th Annual Academy Awards

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

USA Today Claudia Puig

One of the best films of the year.

100

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

Exquisitely moving story.

100

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

A drama of rare distinction, and wonderfully funny in the bargain.

Variety Eddie Cockrell

Unflaggingly genial and universally funny.

Time Richard Schickel

Wry, richly layered, wonderfully observed Argentine film.

Boston Globe Jonathan Perry

Fully realizes its ambitions as a tale about confronting and navigating life's land mines with humor, tenacity, and hope.

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

It's fresh, funny, biting, fast-paced and reasonably perceptive about people and their problems.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

Turn a potentially unforgettable movie into a broad crowd-pleaser that sustains itself on three acting performances.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

The film below it is such an entertaining and poignantly bittersweet take-down of a good man's midlife crisis that the translation still works like a charm.

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

Sweet without being saccharine, sad without being maudlin and funny without being forced.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

Even the digressions are funny.

Portland Oregonian Kim Morgan

A movie that will wear you out and make you misty even when you don't want to be. It's a gushy, sometimes-maudlin, often-charming movie that highlights the importance of little things.

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

It's a wise and endearing little film.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Energetic acting and perky filmmaking help this likable Argentine comedy-drama avoid the sentimentality that intermittently threatens it.

Miami Herald Marta Barber

Offers a rose-colored picture of life, but one that Campanella makes ring true.

San Francisco Chronicle Edward Guthmann

Manages to be affectionate without drawing too deeply from a well of sugar and schmaltz.

TV Guide Ken Fox

Sensitive and expertly acted crowd-pleaser that isn't above a little broad comedy and a few unabashedly sentimental tears.

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

A warm and affectionate Argentine film of wide appeal that is an Academy Award nominee in the foreign-language category.

New Times (L.A.) Andy Klein

It is a moving and solidly entertaining comedy/drama that should bolster director and co-writer Juan José Campanella's reputation in the United States.

Salon.com Jeff Stark

Crisply agreeable picture.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Has an appealing modesty, but director Juan José Campanella works so hard to keep everything soft and winsome and charming that he cushions the understatement into blandness.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Winning and emotionally punchy film.

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

I didn't feel I was wasting my time but I started looking at my watch long before it was over.

New York Post V.A. Musetto

Has some truly touching and funny moments. But it goes on for too long and bogs down in a surfeit of characters and unnecessary subplots.

LA Weekly Manohla Dargis

Although it's better written and directed than the average Nora Ephron bagatelle, it's easy to imagine Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan slipping into a remake of Son of the Bride.

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

In its details, though, Juan José Campanella's movie works beautifully: The actors are all superb when the florid demands of the story allow them elbowroom.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Mark Peranson

What starts off as a possible Argentine "American Beauty" reeks like a room stacked with pungent flowers.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

May be as exhaustive a study of one man's midlife crisis as has ever been brought to the screen. But as the movie lopes along, exhaustive becomes exhausting.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

The best that can be said of Son Of The Bride is that it's attractively photographed. But, then, so was the Hindenburg explosion, and this packs far less excitement into its two shapeless hours.

The average user rating for this movie is 9.5 (out of 10) based on 10 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

vinton h. gave it a10:
Some reviews suggested that this movie is overly sappy and sentimental. Perhaps most of us will not be as luckiy as the main characters in getting our lives straightened out but this uniquely poignant film is not implausible and, if nothing else, it offers us hope that we might just be able to get through the difficult business of life feeling a liitle better about ourselves and not so bitter as we might otherwise be.

Rodrigo R. gave it a10:
The excellent performances and both the happy and sad moments make of this film one of the best there will ever be.

Michel gave it a 10:
Best movie ever.

Carlos gave it a 10:
Classic Dramatic Comedy Great Actors.

Carlos R. gave it a 9:
Conmovedora.

Michael B. gave it a 10:
This is one of the most wonderful and touching films I've ever seen. It's full of humanity, love and humor. I would say this is a must see film for anyone who takes cinema seriously.

Son of the Bride Sony Pictures Classics

Son of the Bride
Sony Pictures Classics