Director: Donald Rice
Cast: Elizabeth McGovern, Felicity Jones, Luke Treadaway, Ellie Kendrick, Zoe Tapper, Mackenzie Crook, Fenella Woolgar, Barbara Flynn, Olly Alexander, Julian Wadham, John Standing, Sophie Stanton
Rating: (PG)
2 stars (out of 5)
Unfortunately, Cheerful Weather for the Wedding (Rialto) takes so long getting the bride, Dolly (Felicity Jones), out of her room that the eventual fireworks would hardly singe an eyebrow.
On paper this should have been a goer.
Set in 1932, there is a lovely English country house complete with hot and cold running servants, beautiful period costumes and Elizabeth McGovern from Downton Abbey in a pivotal role.
What it lacks is any sense of plot-driven urgency.
Dolly lurks while downstairs Joseph (Luke Treadaway), her boyfriend from last summer, lays siege, desperate to talk to her before she marries another and all director Donald Rice can come up with to lighten the mood is a series of flashbacks to that summer.
Dolly, her friends and family are all English and posh so no-one can possibly say what they really mean. It is vaguely amusing in the style of those old drawing-room plays, but by the end nothing is resolved and just what the problem was remains unclear.
Best thing: The summer of 1932 looks so ravishing you wish you could join them on their riverside picnics.
Worst thing: Dolly finds her family tiresome and annoying. It does not take long in their company to have us agreeing with her.
See it with: A fan of English country houses.
- Christine Powley.
