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Toni Collette, Bill Hunter, Rachel Griffiths

Muriel finds life in Porpoise Spit, Australia dull and spends her days alone in her room listening to Abba music and dreaming of her wedding day. Slight problem, Muriel has never had a date. Then she ...( read more  read more... )steals some money to go on a tropical vacation, meets a wacky friend, changes her name to Mariel, and turns her world upside down.

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78% liked it

45,088 ratings

Critics

90% liked it

31 critics

R, 105 min.

Directed by: P.J. Hogan

Release Date: March 10, 1995

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DVD Release Date: May 18, 1999

Stats: 2,241 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,241)

  • organgrinder136
    October 18, 2009
    organgrinder136
    possibly the weirdest film i've ever seen but also the most realistic. what it boils down to is how muriel and her family are portrayed. i mean, maybe my family is just mental but i think not. i think everyones family can see similarity's here. i think everyone has a bit of a ret...( read more)ard inside them too! i just see life on display here. it doesn't have to be gritty to be realistic. life could just be crap??? i'm happy to say i've not seen anything like this before! just try to blank out the women obsessed by a wedding part. scary isnt it?
  • SirPant
    October 2, 2009
    SirPant
    A really good movie that wasn't at all what I'd expected. The cast do a great job, switching between laugh out loud comedy and tearful drama impeccably. The scene with the bean bag and the two American Sailors is hilarious!
  • PvtCaboose91
    May 5, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "When I lived in Porpoise Spit, I used to sit in my room for hours and listen to ABBA songs. But since I've met you and moved to Sydney, I haven't listened to one Abba song. That's because my life is as good as an Abba song. It's as good as Dancing Queen."


    During con

    ...( read more)versations regarding the greatest Australian filmic exports, Muriel's Wedding will almost certainly be mentioned. This endearing synthesis of pathos, (often lambasted) Aussie stereotypes and satisfying humour is one of the most celebrated Australian films of all time. It seems Australian filmmakers have a knack for producing feel-good, light-hearted comedies - witness such sleepers as Crocodile Dundee or The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Muriel's Wedding, however, is an addition to the Down Under cinematic pantheon that dares to be different. As an alternative for straight-up comedy, this particular film introduces social drama into an otherwise featherweight, irresistibly sweet tale of self-discovery. Although the final product doesn't quite gel, writer-come-director P.J. Hogan deserves top honours for his attempt to inject the diminutive Aussie industry with something innovative.


    Muriel Heslop (Collette) is a frumpy, plump 22-year-old Australian woman. She is not beautiful, nor is she successful, intelligent or popular. In the opening moments of the film, she catches a bouquet at a wedding. Her "friends" instantly attack her; labelling her as a "nothing" and a "nobody". "No-one will ever marry you, Muriel" her superficial buddies also declare. Muriel is a downtrodden, disconsolate dag in a family of layabouts living solely on the reputation of their father Bill (Hunter). Bill is a bitter man, and his bitterness is manifested in his treatment of his family. He takes every opportunity to brand Muriel as "useless"...in fact he considers her the most useless of his offspring. His constant verbal abuse erodes Muriel's self-esteem. Muriel spends her days locked in her room listening to ABBA music and dreaming of the perfect wedding day. She wants nothing more than to be married - not for companionship, love or even money...Muriel simply believes it is the ultimate human experience, and proof a person has "made it". She craves acceptance, but receives none from her friends (who eventually ditch her) or her family (who have hopeless written in their genes). Then a blank cheque from her mother changes her life... Muriel vacations in Hibiscus Island where she meets old school chum Rhonda (Griffiths). Together they move to Sydney, their world is turned upside down, and Muriel - renamed Mariel - gradually breaks out of her shell as she learns a valuable lesson of a lifetime.


    The primary story arc concerns Muriel's journey of self-discovery. Muriel also learns that dreams and reality are two unequivocally different things. She used to spend her days fantasising about her perfect fairytale wedding day...but when Muriel eventually does get married she finds it hollow and unfulfilling. While living in Sydney she changes her name to Mariel; a prime example of her belief in superficial changes leading to substantial personal development. For a majority of the film Muriel is also somewhat selfish. Tragedy does of course strike (not just once), putting Muriel to the test and compelling her to mature and take responsibility for her actions.


    "You're right, you are a new person, and you stink. "Mariel VanArkle" stinks. And she's not half the person Muriel Heslop was."


    As stated beforehand, Muriel's Wedding isn't the feel-good, straightforward comedy romp one would usually come to expect from an Australian film. Instead this is a darker, more idiosyncratic comedy-drama infused with heart, friendship, dreams, reality, tragedy and the joys of ABBA music. Muriel's Wedding could be easily perceived as a social commentary masquerading as something slightly less pretentious. From the word go, the film reminds its audience this is unmistakably not a Hollywood picture. As clichés are eschewed and unpredictable tragedy strikes, it continues to remind its audience of this.


    The distinctly unconventional third act of the film pleasantly surprising. Muriel's Wedding will never be mistaken for a Hollywood production as it constantly flouts the "feel-good" clichés that normally characterise this kind of romantic comedy. The ending is by far the most surprising. There's a restrained note of hope, merely suggesting everything will be hunky-dory as opposed to blatantly showing it. Below the occasional laugh-out-loud moment lies a melancholy undercurrent that triggers a string of unpredictable and unconventional events. Alas, the frequent dramatic flashes eventually give way to a catalogue of depressing proceedings that sit rather awkwardly alongside the film's otherwise wacky, heart-warming Aussie feel. The occasional feel-good moment and uplifting ending almost compensate for the depressing detours off the comedy highway. The mixture had the potential to be perfect, but the concept required a more talented screenwriter. Additional laughs were definitely needed.


    Australian comedies are reassuringly unique animals. Usually surprisingly sophisticated, Australian comedies often feature one - or sometimes several - tragic subplots running for the length of the film, functioning as a baseline to counterpoint and contrast the humour charitably peppered throughout. American comedies are merciless with dosages of (sometimes absurd) humour, while the British stretch believability to breaking point with a series of outlandish events. On the other hand, the Australian comedy film grounds its humour confidently in a sense of morbid reality (The Castle may have been a ruthlessly hilarious romp, yet the irresistible humour is never over-the-top, with its plot wholly believable). Though depressing every so often, it effectively allows every funny moment (judiciously scattered all through the picture) to shine like a nugget of pure gold.


    The vibrant, energetic Toni Collette places forth a truly marvellous performance. Her transformation from overweight dag to striking beauty is amazing, and not in the typical Hollywood fashion. Stunningly, Collette appears to lose weight and grow more beautiful as time goes by. The way her character of Muriel - or is that Mariel? - matures and achieves a level of self-esteem which originally seemed impossible is a testament to the marvellous script as much as Collette's brilliant performance. The underrated Rachel Griffiths, too, is utterly credible and appealing in her performance as the headstrong Rhonda. Bill Hunter's performance (he's in every Australian film, it seems!) is incredibly well-textured, and his hateful nature is totally believable as the sad, lonely man with a deep sense of melancholy. Jeannie Drynan appears as Muriel's mother - a mentally ill woman who is little more than a slave to her family, and who dotes on her lecherous husband. She's a very downtrodden character; one of the most downtrodden you're ever likely to see on film.


    One cannot review Muriel's Wedding without mentioning the aspect it's most noted for - the soundtrack! But what few people realise is the effective use to which ABBA songs are put. The music of ABBA is not just used at random points as decoration; they are placed strategically at key moments to heighten the comedy or drama. Fernando emotionally ties Rhonda and Muriel together, hence used as background music during Muriel's long drive home. Dancing Queen conveys the dreamy, shallow melancholy Muriel experiences throughout the course of the film. I Do, I Do, I Do perfectly echoes the excitement and glamour that Muriel associates with marriage. Mamma Mia is great background music as Muriel excitedly collects wedding photos. The contest scene for which Muriel and Rhonda lip-sync Waterloo is alone worth the time to view the film. Any fans of ABBA will be pleased to discover that the songs are not throwaways, but are intelligently and fittingly employed to further the plot.


    Frequently cited as one of the best Australian films in history by critics, audiences and even television programs - Muriel's Wedding is a witty, enjoyable movie event everyone must check out at least once. This hugely influential and surprisingly successful film not only launched Toni Collette to international stardom (she's now remembered for About a Boy, The Sixth Sense, and many others), but also demonstrated the astonishing reservoir of untapped talent that lay in the Australian film industry. It's an utterly charming and uplifting film, and its obsessed fans exist for a good reason. Muriel's Wedding has its moments of great humour, but it's also downbeat and even mean-spirited a tad too often. While these depressing excesses may have been a turn-off for mainstream audiences, this is a flick everyone could love.


    "Cancer? Oh my God! I am gonna go bald and have to eat macrobiotic food!"
  • jamilyn0276
    September 16, 2008
    jamilyn0276
    Muriel's Wedding, is truly a movie that is worth the watch! This is another of those movies that I have seen dozens of times, and seem to have committed to memory.
    This is an Aussie comedy with flair. The story of a girl named Muriel, who longs to get out of the one horse town, ...( read more)of Porpoise Spit. She dreams of making a different life for herself, and is completely consumed with the idea of getting married. It's all about the journey of finding yourself, the bumps we have to get past in getting there, and the relationships we make along the way.
    Toni Collette is nothing short of brilliant, as Muriel. She is ungraceful and alluring all at once. Rachel Griffiths is also quite well cast, as Rhonda. She is raw, sometimes vulgar, and amusing.
    Muriel's Wedding is a charming film, that everyone will fall in love with once they watch it. It's a feel good classic for the ages. You will laugh till your side hurts, and be hunting for the Kleenex box!
    Besides, who doesn't love ABBA?
    "Goodbye Porpoise Spit! "
  • gor41
    July 28, 2008
    gor41
    Surprisingly rich comedy with a witty script filled out with great performances. Unusually dark and brave plot developments keep you interested.
  • patk11
    November 10, 2009
    patk11
    just loved it to pieces....
  • ZRUV
    October 26, 2009
    ZRUV
    I don't like Toni Collette. Didn't like the plot. What do you have to do to get a shoot 'em up around here? Kind of a cringe film.
  • juliejones31
    October 23, 2009
    juliejones31
    Add a review (optional)...
  • wwaising
    October 14, 2009
    wwaising
    A woman's self-discovery journey. ABBA's golden oldies. Toni Collette's comedic acting strengthens how unpleasant Muriel's actually situated at since the beginning. Emotional but also encouraging.
  • GreenGoblin92
    September 29, 2009
    GreenGoblin92
    Has some laugh-out-loud moments and also sad scenes.

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Comments

  • KateBushFan
    October 4, 2007
    KateBushFan
    This film is excellent. I am addicted to it lol and The Abba soundtrack adds to how brilliant the film is. LOVE IT!
  • pirategirl25
    July 10, 2007
    pirategirl25
    this is a brilliant, heart warming movie. simple plot executed with style with fabulous performances. guaranteed to make you smile :D
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Muriel's Wedding Trivia

  • In the movie Muriels Wedding, disco music is playing at the church during Muriels Wedding. What disco artist or group was playing during the wedding:  Answer »
  • what goes in the blanks to make the titles of five movies? 1. The ________ Singer 2. Muriel's ________ 3. The ________ Planner 4. American ________ 5. My Best Friend's ________  Answer »
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