TOP END WEDDING (2019)

Lauren and Ned are engaged, they are in love, and they have just ten days to find Lauren’s mother who has gone AWOL somewhere in the remote far north of Australia, reunite her parents and pull off their dream wedding.
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Well executed and amusing but predictable and clichéd — until the last act which gives this romantic comedy its uniqueness. It’s like two movies have been stitched together. The first “movie” from Adelaide to Darwin is pretty standard rom-com which is light and pleasant followed by the second “movie” set in the Tiwi Islands. This second part makes the whole lot worth a look. Australian romantic comedies are very rare so it is great to see this entry into the genre. The two lead stars (Miranda Tapsell, who also wrote the script, and Gwilym Lee) have an easy chemistry and embrace their material with enthusiasm and commitment. The weaving of Indigenous culture throughout the story is excellent. While TOP END WEDDING is not perfect, it’s worthy of your attention.