Movies

Why Bowen Yang’s The Wedding Banquet Is a Must-See LGBTQ+ Rom-Com Treasure

BBG News

The era of streaming has significantly transformed the landscape of the entertainment world. Some people prefer staying at home over going to cinemas, while I tend to steer clear of expensive one-time home rentals. Andrew Ahn’s The Wedding Banquet was a success at Sundance, but unfortunately, I missed out on watching the LGBTQ+ romantic comedy there. Instead, I chose to rent it once it was released last weekend, and I must say it was well worth the cost.

Although Bowen Yang has gained significant fame from his work on the popular show SNL (available with a Peacock subscription), he has also been involved in several well-regarded films. Prior to casting him as one of the main characters, Yang and Ahn had collaborated on the project Fire Island. The upcoming movie, The Wedding Banquet, combines humor and emotion beautifully. I urge you to quickly rent or purchase this film when it becomes available.

Fire Island was surprisingly overlooked, yet many Hulu subscribers discovered its exceptional quality. Similarly, The Wedding Banquet presents another heartfelt queer narrative that beautifully portrays the strength of chosen family within the LGBT+ community. Critics at TopMob gave The Wedding Banquet a highly favorable review, making it unfortunate that its theatrical run ended so swiftly.

However, On-Demand life for this movie, “The Wedding Banquet,” might expand its viewership, including queer and other audiences. Being freshly launched into homes, its rental price is surprisingly affordable compared to most movies when they initially become available for rent. The compelling vision of director Ang Lee certainly makes it a valuable investment in the film.

In this movie, I find myself connecting with two loving same-sex duos on their journeys towards happiness. Angela and Lee, portrayed by Kelly Marie Tran and Lily Gladstone, are navigating the challenging process of IVF, grappling with its financial strain. Simultaneously, Min (Han Gi-chan) is seeking a visa to stay in America with Chris (Yang). In an unconventional move, they decide to marry each other’s partners, aiming to deceive Min’s Korean family. As you can imagine, the result is a blend of laughter and tears.

In the end, “The Wedding Banquet” concludes in a heartwarming manner, neatly tying up all threads of its narrative into a tender, flawless knot. I won’t give away the ending, but the movie offers a profound exploration on themes such as family, tolerance, queerness, and love.

In my opinion, I’m deeply captivated by Pfannee, Yang’s character from “Wicked,” and his impressive performance as a lead in “Fire Island.” However, it’s his portrayal of Chris that leaves me speechless. He manages to be consistently hilarious, but what truly stands out is his ability to reveal the character’s vulnerabilities, imperfections included. Remarkably, all four main actors in the film had me shedding tears throughout its entire duration.

You can either rent or buy ‘The Wedding Banquet’ when it hits theaters in 2025, and I truly look forward to seeing more collaborations between Ahn and Yang.”

This version uses simpler language, maintains the original meaning, and is easy for a reader to grasp quickly.

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2025-05-28 21:10

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