Being a good wedding guest is pretty simple: make sure to RSVP, bring a gift, and definitely don’t kidnap the bride.
In Michael Winterbottom’s new film, The Wedding Guest, the titular character, Jay, does not follow any of that etiquette.
Program
Dev Patel as “Jay” shows up in Pakistan uninvited, his duffel packed with multiple passports, a gun, and really nothing suitable to wear to a wedding. He’s looking for bride-to-be Samira, because has a job to do – and it’s not as a DJ or caterer.
Although Samira, who is played brilliantly by Radhika Apte, does have misgivings about her impending nuptials, she’s (understandably) not psyched about the alternative of waking up with said gun to her head.
We travel with them from city to city, as they they cross the border into India, change identities, hide in plain sight, and try to determine how much each can trust the other.
Jay is meticulous about covering his tracks and wiping his fingerprints. And, yet, when a key contact fails to appear at their rendezvous point, he realizes he’s made a mistake that puts everything at risk.
Photography
Most of the film was shot on location in India, with the production following roughly the same route as the characters.
They were even granted permission to film at the India-Pakistan border crossing. It was rare to get a permit then, but seems impossible now — just a year later — as tensions have escalated between the two countries.
Instead of sets with extras, director Michael Winterbottom used actual city streets, alleys, and markets as backdrops, along with any people who happened to be in the shot (and may not have even realized they were in a movie). Often this guerrilla-style filming would continue for eight hours straight to capture the real-world setting.
Guest List
For as much time as we spend with the film’s principal characters, we barely get to know them.
Jay is particularly opaque, maintaining his stoic exterior and leaving us to wonder about his true motivations and background.
We get a bit more of a glimpse into Samira, her feelings, where she’s from, who she loves, and what’s important to her.
She’s been taken from one situation she didn’t want to be in and put into another one. Over the course of the film, she finds her footing and gradually begins to take back control over her life. I would have loved to see more from her point of view.
Although the pacing is more art film than thriller, The Wedding Guest is a good watch, delivering a steady stream of suspense and some surprising plot twists.
The Wedding Guest will show up in theaters in New York and Los Angeles March 1 with a wider release March 8.
Film preview and photos courtesy of IFC Films. Michael Winterbottom’s The Wedding Guest is an IFC Films Release.
