Someone must have called in a lot of favors to bring about WEDDING BAND's parade of celebrity cameos (including appearances by Joe Flaherty of "SCTV," Tim Kazurinsky of "Saturday Night Live," director Penelope Spheeris, and, in an uncredited role as an Amish minister, Jim Belushi). But
well-known faces are not enough to enliven this tired comedy about a small-time musical combo. William Katt (BUTCH AND SUNDANCE: THE EARLY YEARS; HOUSE) stars as the leader of the Shakers, an ersatz rock group eking out a living at an endless round of wedding receptions. Katt's long-suffering girl
friend (Joyce Hyser) stirs things up when she encourages him to drop wedding performances and concentrate on his own music. Katt, however, is proud of his band and its ability to play any request. He feels that the Shakers, in their own small way, are making people happy. Hyser increases the
pressure by proposing marriage to Katt during a romantic dinner. With unvoiced misgivings, Katt accepts, and Hyser, a professional bridal consultant, prepares for her dream wedding--including a staggering bridal registry. Katt faces impending wedlock with growing anxiety and is relieved when his
agent (Tino Insana) arranges the Shakers' first tour, forcing postponement of the wedding ceremony. Hyser is outraged and demands that Katt choose between her and the Shakers. Naturally, Katt picks the Shakers and is promptly given the heave-ho by Hyser. The band's tour proves to be a jarring
disappointment, however, with each gig more miserable than the last. Meanwhile, Hyser finds a new boy friend (David Rasche of "Sledge Hammer") and goes through the motions of her spectacular wedding shower (the breakup having occurred too late to cancel the party), though she gets no satisfaction
from her booty. When Katt leaves a message on Hyser's answering machine, she seizes upon it as an opportunity for a reconciliation. She arrives at the last wedding on the Shaker's tour, and Katt plays an original love song for her. Needless to say, the next wedding the Shakers play is Katt and
Hyser's.
The best thing that can be said about WEDDING BAND is that it is essentially pleasant. It unreels its goofy gags and romantic conflict with good cheer, unencumbered by nastiness or bitterness. Unfortunately, the film isn't funny, and its many attempts at humor all fall flat. One of the most
predictable of these attempts comes during a bridal-wear fashion show, when a near-sighted model walks off the runway and falls into the audience. Equally humorless is a sight gag featuring a maternity wedding dress with the word baby embroidered over an arrow pointing downward. At an Amish
wedding, the participants decline to dance on religious grounds, but are unable to prevent themselves from boogeying to the Shakers' pseudo-rock 'n' roll. Not only is this joke silly and familiar, it is also slightly offensive. Predictability is WEDDING BAND's major flaw, along with flat execution
by Daniel Raskov, directing his first film after making commercials and music videos. Even the Shakers' music is flat. A collection of bland covers of bland pop songs like Paul Fishman's "Politics of Dancing," these tunes sound as if they are being heard through a transistor radio. This failure is
especially disappointing and surprising, not only because music is so central to the film, but because WEDDING BAND was produced and distributed theatrically by IRS Media, a wing of IRS records. When a record company cannot put together a listenable soundtrack, something has obviously gone
seriously wrong. (Adult situations, profanity.) leave a comment
