The Wedding Banquet 2025 Parents Guide

The Wedding Banquet is Rated R by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for language and some sexual material/nudity.

The Wedding Banquet (Remake) Review

There’s something inherently risky about remaking a classic especially one as culturally resonant as Ang Lee’s 1993 The Wedding Banquet, a film that balanced queer identity, immigrant expectations, and heartfelt comedy with a surprising level of tenderness and restraint. Director Andrew Ahn doesn’t shy away from that challenge; instead, he embraces it with open arms, reimagining the story through a modern, intersectional lens. The result is a film bursting with potential, big feelings, and even bigger antics but one that ultimately loses emotional footing beneath the weight of its own ambition.

The new version, set in a vibrant, upper-middle-class Seattle neighborhood, revolves around two queer couples navigating love, family, and fertility all under one roof. In the main house live Lee (Lily Gladstone) and Angela (Kelly Marie Tran), a lesbian couple dealing with the heartbreak of infertility. Lee, stoic and emotionally reserved, has just undergone her second failed IVF attempt. She’s not just exhausted she’s running out of money, time, and perhaps even hope. Her partner Angela is more hesitant about the idea of becoming a mother, her reluctance rooted in unresolved trauma from her relationship with her own mother, May (Joan Chen), a formidable and emotionally distant woman.

Meanwhile, the converted garage in the backyard is home to Chris (Bowen Yang), a sharp-tongued, emotionally messy gay man who’s stalling on marriage with his sweet, wealthy South Korean boyfriend, Min (Han Gi-chan). Min isn’t just in love he’s also in need of a green card, and time is running out. The solution he proposes is equal parts absurd and oddly sincere: if Angela agrees to marry him, he’ll fund another round of IVF for Lee. It’s transactional, yes, but also strangely rooted in a shared desire to help and be helped a theme that runs throughout the film.

Of course, what begins as a simple plan quickly spirals into chaos. When Min’s traditional and sharp-witted grandmother Ja-Young (Youn Yuh-jung, in a scene-stealing performance) learns of the upcoming nuptials, she insists on flying to America for a real wedding. No quick courthouse signatures here. She demands a full traditional ceremony complete with costumes, rituals, and family photos. What was supposed to be a private agreement suddenly becomes a full-blown family affair, ripe for miscommunication, embarrassment, and drama.

If that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is and Ahn piles on even more. After a night of drunken venting, Chris and Angela end up in bed together, and yes, she becomes pregnant. Cue even more confusion, betrayal, and emotional fallout.

On paper, all of this sounds like the perfect recipe for a modern screwball comedy. And to be fair, there are moments where it works where the absurdity is just grounded enough in character and emotion to land with genuine comedic punch. Ahn leans into the chaos, crafting scenes that bristle with energy and awkward hilarity. There’s no doubt he understands the mechanics of a good rom-com. But while the film excels in the moment-to-moment zaniness, it stumbles when it comes to sustaining deeper emotional stakes.

The main issue? The romantic relationships never quite click. Lee and Angela are supposed to be long-time partners, but there’s a noticeable lack of chemistry between Gladstone and Tran. Aside from one cozy moment on the couch, eating snacks in their pajamas, their dynamic feels more like that of roommates than romantic partners. Chris and Min, too, lack the tension or tenderness that would make their dilemma truly compelling. Their relationship never feels lived-in it feels like a narrative device.

Where the film does shine, however, is in its platonic and familial relationships. Youn Yuh-jung brings a delightful blend of gravitas and comedic timing as Ja-Young, and Joan Chen’s portrayal of Angela’s mother May adds much-needed emotional texture. Every scene featuring these seasoned performers has a quiet emotional intelligence that cuts through the chaos. They don’t overplay their roles or wink at the camera they simply exist in their characters, and the film is better for it.

Kelly Marie Tran, in particular, delivers a surprisingly layered performance. Angela is arguably the most complex character in the film torn between her own desires, her loyalty to Lee, and her spiraling circumstances and Tran handles her arc with both vulnerability and strength. Lily Gladstone, while sincere, feels somewhat miscast. Her subdued, introspective style so powerful in films like The Unknown Country and Killers of the Flower Moon doesn’t quite gel with the broader, more heightened world Ahn is trying to build here.

There’s also something to be said about how and where a film like this is best experienced. I watched it alone, on a digital screener no crowd, no shared laughter, no audible gasps at the more outrageous twists. And while that shouldn’t matter in theory, rom-coms have always been communal in spirit. I couldn’t help but think: would this have landed better in a packed theater, with an audience reacting in real-time? Probably. Ahn’s direction thrives on shared energy, and without it, the film feels like it’s pushing a little too hard into the void.

Ultimately, The Wedding Banquet remake is a noble, passionate attempt to reframe a beloved story through a modern lens one that acknowledges queer family-building, interracial dynamics, and generational trauma. But in trying to do everything, the film sacrifices the intimacy that made the original so affecting. Ang Lee’s 1993 version didn’t just entertain it made you feel deeply for its characters. Ahn’s version makes you laugh, wince, and sometimes reflect but rarely does it linger in the heart.

Final Thoughts:

This is a film with a huge heart and an earnest desire to say something meaningful about love, chosen family, and cultural legacy. But somewhere along the way, it loses sight of its emotional center. If Ahn had trusted the quieter moments more and trimmed a few of the convoluted plot twists this might’ve been something truly special.

As it stands, it’s a valiant effort worth watching, especially for the performances of Youn and Tran. But like a wedding cake with too many layers, it looks beautiful, tastes sweet in moments, but collapses under its own weight.

The Wedding Banquet 2025 Parents Guide

Language: The film includes several uses of strong language throughout. Expect multiple instances of the “F-word” and other profanity during emotionally charged arguments or comedic outbursts.

Characters frequently express frustration with phrases such as “What the hell,” “damn it,” and “shit,” especially during moments of panic, deception, or confrontation.

There is also casual use of adult and sexual innuendo, particularly in conversations between Chris and Angela when they discuss their personal lives and relationships.

Sexual Content: The scene is implied rather than explicit: it cuts away before any graphic nudity or sexual acts are shown, but the context and consequences (a surprise pregnancy) make it significant and clear.Dialogue afterward references the act with some awkward humor and emotional reflection.

A same-sex relationship between Chris and Min is featured prominently, with affectionate moments and discussions about commitment, intimacy, and marriage.

Scenes may include brief kissing or flirtatious exchanges but remain within a PG-13 level of physical intimacy.

Violence/Gore: There is no physical violence, gore, or threat in the traditional sense.

Some verbal arguments escalate in intensity, especially between romantic partners or family members dealing with cultural and emotional conflict.

At most, viewers will see emotional distress, raised voices, and passive-aggressive behavior, especially during wedding preparation scenes and family confrontations.

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking: Several characters are shown drinking socially in party scenes or during private moments of stress.

The most notable scene involves Chris and Angela getting drunk together, which leads to impaired judgment and the sexual encounter that alters the course of the story.

No illegal drug use is depicted.

Smoking is not prominently shown.