Review of 'Father of the Bride' with a Cuban Twist
A Cuban American family travels down the aisle, cautiously riding the line between tradition and the future.
The protagonist of "Father of the Bride" would undoubtedly scoff if this new romantic comedy was dubbed a "Latinx" version of the classic, which was last resurrected in 1991 with Steve Martin in the lead role. This time, the plot revolves around a Cuban American family, and Billy Herrera (Andy Garcia) is the father who must deal with his daughter's impending wedding.
Herrera moved from Cuba with little more than a few cents in his pocket and built a prosperous architecture practice, as he constantly reminds his children. He has hopes and dreams for his children's futures. When his golden child Sofia (Adria Arjona) announces her engagement to Adan (Diego Boneta), a Mexican guy who does not suit Billy's macho image, he is forced to confront the ways Sofia's vision for her life varies from his own.
The film, directed by Gaz Alazraki and written by Matt Lopez, is accurate in its portrayal of Latinos, employing performers who are fluent in the language and incorporating cultural nuances rather than depending on the broad stroke picture of Latinos that we have come to expect from Hollywood. Gloria Estefan portrays Ingrid, Billy's irritated wife; Isabela Merced portrays Sofia's sister Cora, a free-spirited fashion designer; and comedian Chloe Fineman portrays the zany wedding planner. Her clumsy attempts to adapt to the Herreras' culture and language provide the majority of the film's laughs.
However, the investigation of generational rifts between immigrants and their children, which are fueled in part by machismo and snobbery, has little humorous relief. With the exception of a brief cameo by reggaeton sensation Ozuna, diversity is also a problem, with an all-white Latino cast." Nonetheless, "Father of the Bride" exemplifies the kind of rich cultural representation that can be achieved when people from the cultures being depicted are enlisted to narrate their own experiences.