User reviews

I have to admire Alan Alda for writing a film that contains characters we can actually relate to. Characters who seem like normal, everyday people and not farcical Hollywood creations. The problem? The film hardly goes anywhere. And I only got a few laughs. I'm not asking for "The Naked Gun." I'm not asking for a new gag every two minutes. But this film just didn't have enough humor to classify itself as a comedy. It needed an extra dose of energy, and I feel Alda should've stayed in front of the camera. Because his direction is flat, and the whole movie just seems like one big home video. Though the movie is only a little over ninety minutes, I felt some scenes belonged on the cutting room floor.

The cast is superb and first-rate, and they could've shined with a funnier script. Joe Pesci is the best of a lot, in a role quite different from his usual wise-cracking, tough-guy-from-Brooklyn act. Other talents are Catherine O'Hara, Anthony LaPaglia, the late Madeline Kahn and Molly Ringwald.

My Dad used to say, whenever he would watch a bad comedy, "I guess they call it a comedy, since there's no tragedy in it." That's how I can classify "Betsy's Wedding." No tragedy, but the laughs are scarce.

P.S.: Look fast for Samuel L. Jackson as a taxi dispatcher.

My score: 5 (out of 10)

This movie was surprisingly funny and timeless. Alan Alda, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwold, Joe Pesci and the late Madeline Kahn star in this funny wedding movie. Everyone knows Alda as a funny man who has been turning in some more serious performances lately but who knew Joe Pesci could be funny? Naturally, there is trouble over putting Eddie Hopper's (Alda) daughter's (Ringwold) wedding together. Straightforward plot with interest created by great characters and the actors who play them. This is a fun movie about family. Alan Alda outdoes himself in this 80's comedy. It's like we have a part of his hawk-eye personality back from MASH in this comedy.

The plot is very simple. Hopper's family is comfortable but not rich but the other family is rolling in dough and wants to take over the wedding. Oscar Henner (Pesci) is in construction but has ties to organized crime. Oscar is having an affair with his secretary but his wife (Catherine O'Hara) knows all about it. Hopper's other daughter (Sheedy) falls for the nephew (Anthony LaPaglia as Stevie Dee) of Oscar's not so honest associate (Burt Young). She's a cop and he's connected to the mob. Eddie borrows money from Oscar to pay for the wedding but Oscar charges him interest. Oscar involves Eddie in a deal with his associate but to get out of the deal might get him killed. Oscar offers to find a tent for the wedding but cuts a deal with someone and gets the wrong kind of tent. By the way, Oscar rents an apartment to the newlyweds in one of his tenament slum buildings! By the way, look for Samuel Jackson (unknown then) in a very small bit part in the taxi depot scene. It's lots of fun. No nudity, sex, violence.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

Alan Alda wrote, directed and stars in this tale in which he portrays a father who wants the best wedding reception and party possible for his soon to be wed daughter, Betsy (Molly Ringwald). He's even willing to go so far as to let the wedding be financed by the mob. Fairly amusing and plenty of big stars in small or costarring parts help to propel it.

Betsy Hopper (Molly Ringwald) has an unusual family heritage. Her mother, Lola (Madeleine Kahn) is of Jewish extraction while Eddie, her dad (Alan Alda) has Italian-Catholic roots. When the elder Hoppers got married, long ago, there were so many issues for their two families that their wedding was simple trip to a justice of the peace. Now, Betsy, an offbeat fashion designer, has fallen for banker Luke (Dylan Walsh), whose wealthy family is as whitebread as they come. When the young adults announce an engagement, Betsy tells everyone that they want a very simple wedding. But, not to be outdone by his future in-laws, Eddie insists on throwing something more elaborate. This, even when his construction business has some problems, especially cash flow. Turning to his sister's husband (Joe Pesci) for help, Ed soon realizes he is dealing with mobster loan money from two gents, Stevie Dee (Anthony LaPaglia) and an elder mafia man (Burt Young). Things get even more in a tangle when Stevie falls for Betsy's single older sister, Connie (Ally Sheedy), who has been in a funk since the time of Betsy's announcement. From the wedding invitations to the menu to the choice of a wedding gown, Betsy has to battle the family system for what she wants. Will the ceremony go smoothly and lovingly? This movie, more than twenty years old, has some choice statements about everything from class to religion to money that seem equally relevant today. The large cast, which also includes Joey Bishop and Catherine O'Hara as well as those listed above, is truly great. The New York setting is glamorous while the costumes are well inspired. Then, too, the story and direction ring true to life again and again. Bet on Betsy, if you like family comedies. It is a simple pleasure for most viewers.

Nothing could bring more rivalry between parents and would be in-laws as a wedding. The young couple in this story has more common sense than their elders. They just want a small affair, but then, the parents get involved blowing the whole thing out of proportion. What a terrible waste these things are. After all, most of them would end up in divorce.

Alan Alda has written, directed and is one of the stars of "Betsy's Wedding", a film about two different families, one struggling, and the other one rich, whose children are going to marry. The comedy is a bit dated. What starts as a small wedding ends up as an elaborate celebration in a tent in the middle of a rain storm. There are a few laughs in the picture.

Best of the whole thing are Ally Sheedy and Anthony LaPaglia who are supposed to be secondary characters. The large cast does what it can with the material they have to play. Alan Alda, Madeline Kahn, Molly Ringwald, Dylan Walsh, Joe Pesci, and Catherine O'Hara are seen as the family members.

Oh I remember this movie-A friend and I had been talking about comedies , reminiscing really and she reminded me about this one. I'm sort of weird with comedies-meaning I don't always like what the masses like-I seem to remember liking this(somewhat) but being all grown up now I doubt my reaction were I to view it would be as fond now.

There are many movies that stay timeless and never get old. In the case of Betsy's wedding once you see it, it does leave you with a certain sweetness afterwards. The movie had some sweet things to say although they've been done before. The ending, though, was REALLY cute. This is not a movie that I would say,(as many reviewers on here do)is awful. Rather I would call it a somewhat cute comedy that gets you through a rainy night.

Although "Betsy's Wedding" was written and directed by its star, Alan Alda, the supporting cast is far more interesting (and I doubt this was intentional). Contractor and his wife in suburban New York need an extra $30K to pay for their unconventional daughter's wedding (if the bride-to-be is so offbeat and unconventional, I'm not sure why she wants to take part in the very conventional institution of marriage). Alda and Madeline Kahn are well-matched as husband and wife, but neither are very funny, which can be blamed on the trite script. As Betsy, Molly Ringwald hasn't anything to work with, either. Much better are Ally Sheedy as Betsy's sister, a cop who can't find a man; Anthony LaPaglia and Burt Young as mobsters; Joe Pesci as Uncle Oscar; and Catherine O'Hara as a glinty-eyed in-law. Alda writes group scenes with everyone talking at once as if he overdosed on Robert Altman's "A Wedding"--and even that would be fine if the arguments were colorful or amusing. Instead, Betsy gets upset when the wedding grows too big, or when no one can agree on the music for the ceremony, or why grandma doesn't understand the exclusion of God from the wedding vows. Alda constantly aims for easy targets--easy and familiar. *1/2 from ****

Eddie Hopper (Alan Alda) owns a small construction business. The latest project falls through and he decides to go into debt to finish the house. At a family gathering for grandpa (Joey Bishop)'s birthday, his daughter Betsy (Molly Ringwald) announces her engagement to boyfriend Jake Lovell (Dylan Walsh). They want a small intimate wedding. To his wife Lola (Madeline Kahn)'s dismay, he gets into a competition with Jake's rich corporate raider father and ends up paying for an extravagant wedding. He asks Lola's sister Gloria (Catherine O'Hara)'s sleazy cheating developer husband Oscar Henner (Joe Pesci) for help. Oscar introduces him to mobster-like Georgie (Burt Young) who in exchange for a loan installs his nephew Stevie Dee (Anthony LaPaglia) to manage the home construction. Stevie Dee is taken with the house and Eddie's elder daughter cop Connie (Ally Sheedy). Then there is the wedding with fashion student Betsy's unconventional style and conflicting non-religious sensibility. The shootout doesn't help either.

Alan Alda wrote, directed, and starred in this movie. It's not that funny and overloaded with story from every other character. The saving grace is that I like everybody starting with Alda. He has an easy charm and the family has a loving chemistry. The wedding dysfunction works some of the time but it is simply not funny enough. As for the Razzie nominations of Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy, I don't get it. Ringwald's character can be a little annoying but that's about it. Sheedy and newcomer LaPaglia are actually endearing together and I love their budding relationship. Somebody at the Razzies must have had it in for this movie.

One of the lamer wedding movies you'll see. Smacks too too much of its time period so it was out of date before it hit the theaters. The ethnic stereotypes are like a Henny Youngman joke, except they just aint in the least bit funny here. Molly Ringwald, well what else needs to be said. Give you a clue to the silliness, she destroys a $10,000 wedding dress, because "It just won't be me" makes it into this rag, with straps and puts on a top hat, and everyone smiles cutely at her moxy, rather than ringwalding her neck. Its a helluva a cast too, check out how heavy Ally Sheedy is. Wheeeew!

I don't know why this gets so much hate. I guess it's much more of a Woody Allen'ish style movie so if you're not into these type of NY comedies you probably won't get the humor.

Lots of Woody Allen in here especially from Broadway Danny Rose. Stevie D is the best. Just hilarious. Great cast. How can you go wrong with Joe Pesci, Alan Alda, Madeline Kahn. Catherine O'Hara, Burt Young and so many other classic actors.

It actually ages really well.

Sure it's a little corny at times including the end, but the characters are a lot of fun and it moves quickly. The cinematography was the worst part, but I loved everything else.

"Betsy's Wedding" is absolutely yawn-worthy and I can't imagine how green-lighting this film was ever considered a good idea. The story is so uninteresting and incoherent that it's a total waste of celluloid. Upon excruciating inspection, one might be able to discern that Betsy (Molly Ringwald) is set to be married to a man who comes from money. Betsy's father (Alan Alda) is determined to pay for the wedding and throw an obnoxious display to prove that he can toss cash around with the best of them. What ensues is an agonizing plotline following Alda as considers getting involved with the mob to finance the debacle. As a fan of both Ringwald and Ally Sheedy -who co-stars as Betsy's cop sister- I can't imagine why either one took roles in such a turkey.

A father (Alda) learns that his daughter (Ringwald) wants to get married. He is determined to give her an extravagant wedding even though his construction business is not doing well and he is in bad need of money.

If this thing had been played to it's full potential this might have been a real slam bang wedding satire. All the ingredients are there: feuding in-laws, disagreements on religions, seating arrangements, fashion styles, cost, and of course all those other unforeseen catastrophes. Unfortunately, like with all of Alda's films, he never plays anything out. He starts with something interesting and then pulls back just as it is about to get good. Some keen insights into the wedding process are lost. The climatic wedding 'disaster' is limp and only half of what it could have been. The needless story thread involving Alda's 'initiation' into a Italian crime family is both dumb and highly sterotyped.

The films lone payoff is the appearance of Bishop. He plays Alda's dead father and appears sporadically as 'visions'. Some of his observations are funny. Pesci also gives his part a lot of energy in a role that is slightly atypical for him. Yet none of it is enough to make it memorable.

3 out of 10.

In a world where brides turn into bridezilla when things don't go exactly as they planned, it's refreshing to see a film about someone who can role with the punches and not take the whole thing too seriously. It's the marriage, not the wedding, that needs people's best efforts. Anthony LaPaglia did a great job, especially when he told his uncle he was going to apply to the police acadamy. It sparked my interest in his other accomplishments and I've be watching for him ever since. Loved the contrasts, even if they were a little exaggerated. Alda and Kahn played great off each other. My favorite lines. Alda: I wanted to give you a wedding you'd never forget. Ringwold (while munching on a piece of pizza) Hmm. I don't think I'll ever forget this. Great family dynamics. An imaginative romp.

It breaks my heart to give this a six but this is a six.

It's not bad, but it's a six.

Mediocre given the talent and pedigree involved.

Sometimes movies can be timeless and not seem so stuck in their era but this one totally is.

But it seems even more conflicted than even that.

It's not like quite a nineties or even an eighties movie.

No, it's just kind of lost for what it is.

That, and Alan Alda always writes like it's 1962 or even 1972.

But I love Alan Alda. Love him. In front of the camera and behind it. I love his writing as well.

The Four Seasons is perfect.

I have always loved that movie.

I love it.

In the last several years it has become one of my favorite movies.

It's hard to believe this is nine years later.

And only four years after Sweet Liberty, which I'm also quite fond of.

I still haven't seen A New Life.

But there's several things that drove me crazy from this movie.

The on set lighting is bad.

You can tell it's fake lighting and it takes you out of the moment.

Lots of scenes with bad lighting.

Ally Sheedy's character is supposed to be an NYPD patrol officer on the streets. We never, ever, ever see her in uniform, ever. I would've liked to have seen that. It's almost weird thar she's never in uniform.

Actors are little used to misused.

Joe Pesci looks ridiculous.

I don't by Molly Ringwald's relationship or her style and personality.

The whole rain thing is just silly.

It's not that funny.

And there's just too much talent and skill involved here for this not to work in some kind of way.

But it just doesn't.

Sadly.

Skip this wedding.

Just send a gift instead.

Dull, flatly-directed "comedy" has zero laughs and wastes a great cast. Alan Alda wore too many hats on this one and it shows. Newcomer Anthony LaPaglia provides the only spark of life in this tedium but it's not enough.

One of those scripts that, if you were a neophyte and submitted it to an agent or producer, would be ripped to shreds and rejected without discussion.

I've been interested in the handful of movies Alan Alda directed post-MASH, given how much he brought to that show and how good he was, both behind and in front of the camera. One film he did called The Four Seasons was surprisingly good, but Betsy's Wedding... not so much.

At best, it's watchable. It's a light romantic comedy that wasn't really offensive, but also not hugely funny. It has a great cast, but they're generally under utilised. At least it's only about 90 minutes long, but you get through those 90 minutes and think to yourself, "that's it?"

So you could do worse and you could do better. There's not really much more to say, and reviewing middle of the road movies is tough, so here's a very appropriate shrug emoji:

🤷‍♂️

And we'll leave it at that.

Alan Alda's 1990 comedy Betsy's Wedding brought together a formidable cast-Molly Ringwald, Joe Pesci, Ally Sheedy, Madeline Kahn, and Alda himself-to tell the story of a father navigating the chaos of planning his daughter's nuptials. The film plays out as a light-hearted, often absurd exploration of family dysfunction, romantic entanglements, and social class tensions, anchored by Alda's warm but neurotic performance. Pesci adds a touch of unpredictability as a shady relative, while Ringwald-just emerging from her teenage rom-com heyday-brings earnestness to the title role, though the script gives her surprisingly little to do.

Despite its all-star lineup, Betsy's Wedding never quite found its footing with audiences or critics. The film's tonal shifts-veering from slapstick to sentimental-felt uneven, and its attempts at social commentary often got lost in sitcom-style antics. While it tried to capture the comedic chaos of films like Father of the Bride, it lacked the cohesion or memorable moments to elevate it beyond a pleasant diversion. That said, Madeline Kahn's deadpan delivery and a few surreal dream sequences give the film flashes of eccentric charm.

In the decades since its release, Betsy's Wedding has largely faded into obscurity, rarely appearing in retrospectives of Alda's work or '90s cinema. It lacks the cult following or nostalgic glow of other comedies from the era, perhaps because it never fully commits to either its romantic or satirical sides. Still, for fans of the cast or those seeking a snapshot of transitional careers-Ringwald post-John Hughes, Alda post-MASH*-it's a curious time capsule worth dusting off.

Betsy's Wedding in my opinion is one of the funniest comedy movies of all time. True I do love Madeline Kahn, but thats not the only reason. The whole cast is perfect. Alan Alda wrote, directed and stars along with Joe Pesci, Catherine O'Hara, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Anthony LaPaglia, Joey Bishop, Dylan Walsh, Burt Young, Nicholas Coaster, Bibi Besch, Julie Bovasso and Camille Savilla, but its Madeline Kahn who steals the show once again. The reason is because she plays a normal character for once. I mean Ilove her larger than life roles, but its great to see her in a straight role for once and getting the biggest laughs with her deadpan delivery. Why this picture wasn't as successful as it was is puzzling. It had as many laughs than any other films of the 80's or 90's. It is on DVD and gets played often on cable channels. I wish they could re-release it on DVD though with deleted scenes. I am sure there are plenty as well as outtakes too. It is worth viewing if you haven't seen it yet. Why not watch and post your opinion in a review.

Back in 1990, I had the good fortune of working as a set dresser on this flick. I had just finished on Mr. Destiny(another good movie that went unnoticed), and my boss asked if i wanted to keep working, and this came up. It was filmed in Wilmington NC, mostly at the Dino De Laurentis studios. They eveb had the King Kong robotic head laying out in the field behind one of the stages, all faded purple from the sun. I thought it was sad. However, I enjoyed dressing the sets and working inside that hug tent, laying sod and even joking with Alan Alda at one point. I thought it was cute movie but not especially endearing. Just an overblown American excess. After this one, I left the business!

We thoroughly enjoyed this movie, especially the performance by "Without a Trace" Anthony LaPaglia. It really shows his range as an actor. I would have never thought he could play comedic roles, but his lines and delivery were hilarious!

Great cast with Madeline Kahn of Blazing Saddles (she sure looked different).Catherine O'Hara has a great way to deal with a cheating husband Joe Pesci - again he too looks very different with a mustache and different hair. Burt Young of "Rocky" is excellent as the Italian mobster. I'm not a big Ally Sheedy or Molly Ringwall fan, but the other cast more than make up for their lack of charisma.