Muriel's Wedding is just so damn sad

[Hassled]

She has so many issues - such an awful father, such a desperate mother. When she walks back down the aisle and doesn't even notice her mother there it makes me want to weep. Why does Muriel think marriage will give her value to such an extent? She didn't get that from her parents' marriage. And while she says that life with Rhonda is better than an Abba song, she's a shit friend to her.

I've watched it before and laughed, but tonight I watched it and just thought how horribly sad it is and what a dysfunctional, chaotic girl she is.

[annandale]

Yes I think it's quite a traumatic film. I dislike how it's sold as a pure comedy - it's a drama.

I have read so many articles about it that don't even mention Rhonda's accident and her disability. To me that was one of the most important things about the film. Rachel Griffiths is a goddess.

[Hassled]

Yes - goddess is right - she's fabulous.
And it's no comedy. Even the "You're terrible, Muriel" sister is tragic.

[witchmountain]

I can’t even remember what happens in it now but I very clearly remember thinking the same thing when it first came out (I would have been a teenager) and being horrified about how there was no discussion beyond it being a “hilarious” comedy.

[divafever99]

Yes I can still remember it clearly now and it's years since I saw it. I'm not sure what the actress called Muriel is called but she was in a series a couple of years ago playing a doctor who was held hostage and was great in that too.

[CosmicCanary]

Tony Collette.
She is in about a boy as the suicidal mother.

[annandale]

I always remember Toni Collette as the particularly unpleasant doctor in Shallow Grave. She does 'surface nice but fundamentally corrupt' amazingly.

Really should have foreseen that going to see Shallow Grave as a first date meant the relationship was doomed...

[GreenRedBlue]

Yes to all of this!! DH and I disagree on this, he just thinks it's hilarious but all I could see was how sad it was for almost every character. Especially her mum - what an awful existence.

[JemAppelleLafayette]

Kerry Fox played the doctor in Shallow Grave. TC is the mother in Sixth Sense.

If somebody had taken me to see Shallow Grave on a first date I would have married him . It’s one of my favourites.

[JemAppelleLafayette]

I love Muriel’s Wedding as well, but it is terribly sad. There’s a shot of her mother watching a cup of tea go round in a microwave that makes me feel all horrible and empty every time.

[MikeWyzowski]

I think it's a wonderful film which so many aspects to it. I too saw it as a comedy initially but watched it a few years later and saw it's tragedy. I watched it again recently and was able to enjoy it as the fabulous film it is, tragic but with comedic elements to it: "Deidre Chambers! What a coincidence!"
Some of the characters are so awful but come good in the end, even the dad when Murielmtells him he has to look after the "kids"

[Dragonlight]

Toni Collette. She's brilliant. Muriel's wedding is definitely no comedy, it's incredibly sad.

[billybagpuss]

It’s a fantastic film but so not a comedy.

The bits that are supposed to be funny is just a poor lass seeking validation.

[Ontheboardwalk]

Agree I don’t see how anyone can say it’s a comedy. It’s a brilliant film with some comedy moments but is not a comedy.

I also agree Toni Collette is brilliant in it

[BellaJessica]

Isnt it a black comedy? Almost satirical. Agree though very sad. The parts with her mother upset me especially in the church.

[xFreePeaceSweetx]

How did you watch it please op? Its one of my all time favourites. Muriel resonates with me so much. The bullying "friends", abusive and controlling father, weight issues, wanting to fit in and be treated as an equal...
I always wanted to go to Hibiscus Island but I don't think it exists.

[0lwen]

it's like East is East in that you see the humour the first time you see it and the sadness the second time. I rewatched it a while back preparing to laugh my way through it and got a shock.

[TheFirstMrsOsmond]

I love "Muriel's Wedding" and agree that it combines humour & sadness, as the best comedies always do. Toni Collette was on Graham Norton recently and she said people still come up to her now, 24 years later, and say "You're terrible, Muriel". She said it was a film that really seemed to speak to some women. She always makes good choices in her career - my favourite is "Little Miss Sunshine".

[Meandyouandyouandme]

Another good film Toni Collette is in is The Way Way Back, again it’s sad though, another comedy drama. Also stars Alison Janney and Steve Carell.

[Hassled]

Wait - there's a film with Toni Colette AND Alison Janney AND Steve Carell? How have I missed this?

Re how I watched it - I recorded it from a few weeks ago when it was Channel 5 or something. I tried to get 16 year old DS3 to watch with me but he wasn't having any of it.

[TheMouseTrap]

Agree it's incredibly sad, but brilliantly acted. I feel so sad for her mum . The Aussie's do dark humour very well.

[TheFirstMrsOsmond]

TheMouseTrap Aussie humour really appeals to me: I still remember watching a film called "The Dish" on a flight from Sydney to Wellington about 18 years ago - I was laughing the whole way. I have a great affection for small town Australia (eg Porpoise Spit in "Muriel's Wedding") as portrayed in films but don't feel the same about small town America in movies.

[Charley50]

@0lwen - I was going to say that about East is East. I found it really upsetting first time round, with the domestic abuse storyline. But it's sold as a comedy.

[DrDreReturns]

I remember east is easy being hilarious until about half way through, then it was really uncomfortable viewing.

[AnyFucker]

I cry all the way through that film. No laughing here.

[Benandhollysmum]

Think they class it as a dark comedy, though humerus in parts theirs an undertone of darkness.
It’s well written and the actres that plays Muriel plays the part well.