The Wedding Gift (1994)

Richard Loncraine's The Wedding Gift is a touching portrait of uniquely British character traits: a playful sarcasm borne from years of married partnership, coupled with a gallows humor that serves as the more jovial alternative to stoicism. Longtime screen veterans Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters are the actors managing this rapport, drawing from a reservoir of wit to deflect the pain of Diana Longden's incurable illness. And so it's genuinely devastating when these characters succumb to moments of sad desperation; they're not only unaccustomed to self-pity, they're actively repulsed by it. Walters is a revelation, willful in spirit if not body, while Broadbent lies forever on the verge of a weary wink, demonstrating his enduring good humor. It's the introduction of an alternate love interest for Deric Longden -- at the behest of his current wife, no less -- that calls to mind a similar funny and tragic British love story from the same period, Anthony Minghella's Truly, Madly, Deeply. Both films deal intelligently with the prospect of starting anew after the death of a loved one, but in Minghella's film, Alan Rickman's Jamie has already died, returning from the afterworld as a guide for his grieving mate. Deric Longden's task is far more difficult. In the blind author Aileen Armitage (Sian Thomas), he must envision his future even before his beloved wife has died -- an outcome that's nearly certain, since doctors can't determine the cause of her consistent deterioration. In both women, though, Deric has an able sparring partner for his wry outlook on the world -- physically limited, but mentally acute, and capable of reciprocating his warmth and intellect. Thora Hird, playing Deric's mother, deserves special mention for her uniquely humorous take on the senile old woman who can't remember whether she answered the phone or dialed it. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide