When a movie manages to snatch the No.1 spot on Netflix, it doesn’t always mean that it’s good. The last few days have proved that, with poorly rated movies like “The Great Wall” and “Unfrosted” standing atop the list for some time. However, these movies were soon pushed off when “Mother of the Bride” was released on Netflix yesterday.
Although this romantic comedy has taken the crown, it doesn’t mean it’s worth watching. New releases tend to gather a lot of views before they sink into the darkest depths of the streaming platform. If you’ve seen this title while scrolling but don’t know whether to give it your time, we can enlighten you.
What is 'Mother of the Bride' about?
“Mother of the Bride” follows Lana (Brooke Shields) as she discovers the groom's father is the man who once broke her heart. With that shocking revelation in mind, Lana must push her feelings aside to make her daughter Emma’s (Miranda Cosgrove) wedding special. However, once buried feelings rise to the surface again, they won’t go back down. Lana and Will (Benjamin Bratt) must decide whether they want to ignore their emotions for the sake of the wedding or find their way back to each other.
It’s a classic example of a romantic comedy that uses every trope possible in the genre. From second chances to forced proximity to being stuck together on vacation, this movie goes through the traditional romance checklist pretty well.
“Mother of the Bride” was believed to be the rom-com of the year due to the lighthearted romance and cheesy music implemented throughout the trailer. But after not even one day, it doesn’t seem to be scoring well with audiences and critics despite how warming it might sound.
What critics are saying about 'Mother of the Bride'
Believe it or not, “Mother of the Bride” debuted with a perfect score of 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Now with more reviews flooding the site upon its release, the rom-com sits at around 19%, with an audience rating of 25%. As you can imagine, these reviews aren’t exactly positive.
Lindsey Bahr from the Associated Press said: “I won’t go so far as to say that Mother of the Bride feels like an AI creation but it does feel at least a little stitched together from pieces of other romantic comedies of varying quality.”
The Guardian’s Benjamin Lee stated: “It’s clear that we’re being spoon-fed more of the same unremarkable competence, sugar with no salt, calories with no nutrition.” Meanwhile, Paste Magazine’s Amy Amatangelo offered quite a unique opinion, saying: “You know when you check into a hotel and the default TV channel is the hotel promotion channel? The new Netflix movie Mother of the Bride is kind of like that.” Honestly, I agree.
However, there are some softer reviews, including Carla Meyer’s from the San Francisco Chronicle: “The whole cast is likable and the scenery lovely, making this only the second-worst Shields beach movie, after “The Blue Lagoon.”
Our take on 'Mother of the Bride'
Should you stream this romantic comedy? Honestly, it’s probably not worth your time when there are other movies on Netflix of higher quality. That’s not to say you should never stream it if you’re in the mood for some lighthearted fun while folding laundry, but you can find better choices when scrolling through one of the best streaming services.
Tom’s Guide can agree that “Mother of the Bride” doesn’t offer anything new in the genre, and the reviews pretty much nail it when it comes to describing the dull narrative and lack of engagement. However, everyone has their own opinion, and you could even end up liking it. Regardless, it’s there to stream on Netflix whenever you fancy it.
What we can say though is that there are plenty of other movies to choose from first, and one of my favorite romantic comedies is now on Netflix with a high score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. There is also “Anyone but You” starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, along with Jennifer Lawrence’s “No Hard Feelings”.
If you want something a little different, one of our favorite feel-good movies has also crashed the top 10 on Netflix, and that’s definitely worth watching.
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