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Fans are split over the recent remake of a classic 1990s romcom that was 'impossible to forget'. The Wedding Banquet arrives in UK cinemas at the end of this week on May 9. It is

billed as a fresh reimagining of the movie of the same name released back in 1993 that was written and directed by celebrated filmmaker Ang Lee. Lee would go on to direct stellar releases

including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi to name a few. However, his early career foray into the romcom genre would remain a high point early in the

director's career according to fans. One person sharing their opinion of the film on Rotten Tomatoes, where it scores an impressive 92% simply stated: "An early Ang Lee film which

is impossible to forget." Andrew Ahn, who previously helmed Fire Island and directed episodes of Bridgeton for Netflix is behind the remake. He is credited as director as well as

reworking the screenplay. The cast includes Lily Gladstone, who received an Oscar nomination for Killers of the Flower Moon. Alongside her is Star Wars alum Kelly Marie-Tran, Saturday Night

Live cast member Bowen Yang, Academy Award winner Youn Yu-Kung and South Korean actor Han Gi-chan. The film's story has received some tweaks from the original but according to the

official synopsis it follows Lee (Gladstone) and Angela (Marie-Tran) as a couple struggling to fund another round of IVF after multiple unsuccessful attempts. Angela’s best friend Chris

(Yang) and his boyfriend Min (Gi-chan), an art student from a wealthy Korean family, live in their guesthouse. With Min’s visa expiring and pressure mounting from his family, he makes a

proposal to Angela: a green-card marriage in exchange for funds for the next IVF. This arrangement is soon complicated by the unexpected arrival of Min’s grandmother (Yuh-jung) who declares

they want to help organise the wedding. A number of reviews have already appeared online and while it has scored lower than its predecessor, it still managed a respectable 87%. However,

opinion does seem to be split over this remake, including whether or not it was needed at all. One critic claimed: "This version of The Wedding Banquet proudly walks down the aisle with

confident grace and beauteous determination." Another added: "Though Ahn’s The Wedding Banquet never achieves the comic momentum or emotional depth of Lee’s original, it’s an

unfailingly pleasant film filled with endearing characters..." Someone else posted: "It's a bold move to take on an Ang Lee film to remake, but Andrew Ahn and his talented

cast turn The Wedding Banquet into an even more multidimensional earnest tale with a depth the original doesn't quite delve into." On the other hand, a person disagreed as they

said: "The original Wedding Banquet by Ang Lee is among my favorite movies. This 2025 re-imagining is The Lion King to the original's Hamlet." Another commented: "You

have to admire Hollywood’s willingness to burn money making movies no one asked for. Those involved would have been much wiser sending this movie straight to streaming." It is a

sentiment unfortunately shared by this reporter who was provided a screener of the film ahead of its UK cinema release. At times it seems the film's attempt to update the original

romcom for modern times is to remove all of the comedy. It is another example of a drama that for some reason wants to leave a little toe dipped in the comedy genre, perhaps to attract more

attention For the majority of the story, viewers would be forgiven in being mistaken that they are preparing for a funeral rather than awaiting a romantic union there are so few actual

jokes. Ahn's version seems to want to shun everything that makes a romcom, well a romcom. There's a reason the genre is formulaic and appealing to fans. The Wedding Banquet feels

like what happens if you remove that magic. It tries too hard to be a more realistic version of a romantic comedy but that makes itself illogical at times. It can be a struggle to believe

the four central characters are even friends, never mind how they are supposed to be in long-term relationships with each other. The one time the film does indulge in its romcom roots, just

feels disingenuous. Some fans may hope the original gets added to Netflix or another major streamer soon to discover what made the original special. _THE WEDDING BANQUET IS IN CINEMAS MAY

9._