Comedies centred around women who are less than elegant, who can swear as well as any sailor, or whose ineptitude in matters of the heart and the body are gaining more traction these days (see Bridesmaids and Rough Night). Rainy Kerwin's feature film debut The Wedding Invitation is a cross between one of these and the more traditional so-called 'chick flick': a romantic comedy with plenty of gaffs and farcical moments, along with highlights of female friendship. While not groundbreaking or as funny as it could be, it's entertaining enough without going (too) far into cliche.
Lucy (Rainy Kerwin) is not having a good day: her boyfriend has dumped her, and because he's her boss, he's also fired her when she's on the verge of a big project. But there's a light at the end of the tunnel when she and her best friends Ryann (Camille Guaty) and Nectar (Christina Ulloa) are invited to the 80s-themed wedding of Denise Masterson, the coolest girl in their high school. The only catch is, they all need to find dates. Cue bad dates and farcical disasters as the girls scramble with only a few days to pull it together.
The situation itself might seem a bit too (as stated) 'chick flick', in that the main action of the story centers around these three women trying to get a man. But that's somewhat of a macguffin as the film is really more about their friendships and themselves finding their own independent path. But that shouldn't belie the desire to have a partner or find a meaningful romantic connection.
And while that situation is a bit cliched and at times the dialogue is less than imaginative, Lucy, Ryann and Nectar are a lot more like the women I know in my life than much of what I see in film: they do get anxious and upset, nervous and awkward around men they like, and they understand that having a guy is not a raison d'etre. But yes, it would be nice sometimes.
Kerwin definitely has skill as a writer; her characters are on point and she creates a fun and believable world. There seems to be some lack of confidence in filmmaking, in that the pacing sometimes feels a bit too slow, and she could take more risks. But that's something that comes with more experience, and considering this is her directorial debut, she's found what I'm guessing is something of a personal story and found a way to make it understandable and enjoyable to a wider viewership.
The Wedding Invitation will be available on VOD on Itunes from June 6th.