On Monday morning, Bleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures unveiled the trailer for Andrew Ahn's forthcoming romantic comedy, "The Wedding Banquet," starring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, and Han Gi-chan. Set against the backdrop of Seattle, this film serves as a creative reinterpretation of Ang Lee's 1993 namesake production.
The Teaser Trailer captivates viewers with the tales of two couples at a pivotal juncture in their lives: Lee (portrayed by Gladstone) and Angela (Tran), as well as Chris (Yang) and Min (Han). Lee and Angela aspire to start a family but are financially constrained from undergoing IVF treatments. Conversely, Chris and Min face the looming threat of separation due to Min's expiring visa and his yet-unrevealed sexuality to his grandmother, who would disown him if she found out.
Min, hailing from an affluent Korean family, proposes a daring solution to Angela: she could marry him to address his visa woes and his grandmother's opposition, in exchange for him footing the bill for their IVF treatments. Also featuring in this Sundance Film Festival premiere are Joan Chen as Angela's mother, May, and Youn Yuh-Jung as Min's stern grandmother.
The Teaser Trailer delves into the emotional turmoil of May, played by Chen, who finds it hard to swallow the prospect of her daughter marrying a man, albeit for the noble cause of enabling a gay couple to stay together, as suggested by Tran's Angela. In a heartfelt scene, Lee and Angela compel May to erase all traces of her LGBTQIA+ advocacy on social media. "Can I still post Instagram stories?" May inquiries, torn between her values and her desire for grandchildren, to which Angela responds, "Do you want grandchildren?" Prompting May to ultimately delete her Instagram account.
Adding to the comic chaos, Min's grandmother makes an unexpected visit, forcing everyone to "straighten up" the house to conceal their true nature. Hilarious mishaps unfold as Min and Angela frantically attempt to convince Min's grandmother of their engagement's authenticity. In a moment of frustration, Han's Min exclaims, "I don't even want to be an American! Your trains are so slow, and I never know how much to tip!"
James Schamus collaborated with Ahn on penning the script. "The Wedding Banquet" is poised to grace theaters on April 18, promising a blend of heartfelt emotion, laughter, and social commentary.
