Sometimes when you’re around certain gathering, it feels like you and your friends feel like loners whether it’s at a lunch table, school dance, or even an unknowable table at a wedding reception. Feels off, right? Taken from the perspective of the outsiders from this story, Table 19 tells that kind of story but it’s not enough to say it benefits for an actual movie.
Eloise (Anna Kendrick), having been relieved of maid of honor duties after being dumped by the best man (Wyatt Russell) via text, decides to attend the wedding anyway- only to find herself seated with five fellow-unwanted guests at the dreaded Table 19.
Kendrick is reunited with her Rocket Science (One of the roles that pushed her to stardom) writer-director Jeffrey Blitz so you would hope it would be a pleasant comedy. Also, this has a solid cast that includes Craig Robinson and Lisa Kudrow as a bickering couple who don’t really get along, Stephen Merchant as an ex-felon who’s socially isn’t right, Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel) as a teen who needs a girl, and June Squibb as an old nanny. This was nothing I was anxious to see, and it’s proven as this was a middle of the road movie that isn’t worth recommending.
The script doesn’t provide much clever thought into some of the dialogue the characters are talking about, which is shocking since Mark and Jay Duplass came up with the story. Kendrick was perfectly fine as this awkward, clumsy girl. She always has that charm that I’m always attracted to. She does come off as not liking her character for the first half, but it’s a balance performance later on.
At times are moments where the characters are shown as relatable, but on the other side, they sometimes come off as unlikable. Like, I didn’t care so much for Kudrow and Robinson about their marriage or the fact that Revolori, though he was good, comes off as creepy. I will give it some credit for giving them some development throughout.
There wasn’t anything really funny as the humor was pretty dry all the way through. It didn’t make me bored and just want to turn it off, its 88-minute runtime is quick enough trying to see some potential there.
It does have an interesting thought that nobody would RSVP to a wedding because they don’t seem to care, but it’s important to meet new people at the table you’re sitting at, and hopefully get along. If I were at that table in real-life, it’s not possible (Unless a woman looks like Kendrick). Table 19 didn’t justify that idea.
Kind of feels like a timer down The Breakfast Club but at a wedding but nobody’s dancing to We Are Not Alone. Shame. Even for a movie centering on a wedding, this might be a dull wedding to actually attend to. I mean, I would dance with Kendrick, of course, because if that happens, that would be the best night of my life.
This was really nothing to get crazy about. Really wasn’t remotely special or exciting. Although it’s not as cliché as it made it out to be, it’s just a bland wedding movie all together At times it would feel like an awkward wedding toast that’s bombed about mid-way through.
Table 19 may offer some talents including Anna Kendrick, but it’s not enough for the centric story to fall through.
Grade: C
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