Film Review: The Wedding Banquet

Like many twenty-somethings, I am constantly on the hunt for a new favourite rom-com. A film that strikes the perfect balance between laughing until my stomach hurts and reaching for the tissues. So as a 26-year-old who identifies as an IVF baby, I jumped at the chance to watch what IMDb calls a 'feel-good romance' with IVF in its description. Aware of the science and emotional complexities surrounding assisted reproduction, I was admittedly curious and cautiously hopeful to see how these themes fit into a romantic comedy.

'The Wedding Banquet', directed and co-written by Andrew Ahn, is a modern reimagining of Ang Lee's 1993 film of the same name. Released in May this year, Ahn's 2025 romantic comedy carries over the original's themes of cultural expectation and queer identity, while updating them to include more contemporary issues and inclusive representation. Where the 1993 film follows the story of a gay Taiwanese man who marries a woman to appease his parents, this new version tells a parallel but more layered story.

Angela Chen and her partner, Lee, are an unmarried lesbian couple living in Lee's family home in Seattle, Washington. Early on, we learn that the couple has recently undergone IVF treatment and that Lee is newly pregnant with a child conceived via sperm donation. We also learn that, unlike most of us who see living on the same property as our best friend as a pipe dream of our youth, Angela actually does. Angela's best friend Chris, played by Saturday Night Live's Bowen Yang, lives in Lee's garage with his partner Min, a Korean art student whose visa is about to expire. One day, Min receives a call from his grandmother who insists that he return home and join the family business.

Pivoting back to Angela and Lee, we first see the two sweetly daydreaming about their future child's appearance. This is their second round of IVF, and with the disappointment of the first, the two are optimistic, but cautiously so. Sadly, Lee loses this pregnancy as well, leaving the couple to face not only the raw heartbreak of miscarriage, but also the real and relatable realisation that they may not be able to afford a third round. In parallel, Min and Chris's relationship hits the rocks when Min proposes to Chris, and Chris – commitment-averse and unwilling to marry for convenience – declines. With emotions running high, Min hatches a (not-so) brilliant plan: he'll propose to Angela instead to remain in the USA, and in return, he will pay for Angela and Lee's next round of IVF.

With such a chaotic premise, it's no surprise that what follows is a messy and wildly unrealistic (albeit hilarious) series of events. Between a shocking drunken hook-up, a cringeworthy wedding ceremony, and a deeply bittersweet revelation, I was impressed by Ahn's ability to maintain a witty, light-hearted tone throughout. Beyond its sit-com like antics, the film also weaves in themes of infertility, familial pressures, and personal growth, all while staying firmly rooted in the romantic comedy genre. While I initially worried the film may have bitten off more than it could chew, I was pleasantly surprised by how deftly it balances humour and heart. With twists and turns at every corner, the film doesn't give viewers much time to dwell on the emotionality of any one scene. This fast pacing, paired with strong on-screen performances, allowed the film to sustain emotional authenticity without letting the tone drift into melodrama.

At times, the film does veer towards farce, but the sincerity of its characters amid the absurdity is what makes it memorable. Much of the film's charm comes from the ensemble's chemistry; the banter feels spontaneous, and even minor characters are given small, heartfelt moments. That said, for a film that begins by engaging meaningfully with infertility and IVF, these themes soon fall by the wayside. As a donor-conceived person who actively seeks out authentic representation for assisted reproduction and donor conception in media, I was disappointed to see IVF used more as a framing device than a central through line. Representation in film doesn't always need to educate, but when stories touch on something as personal as conception and family-making, it's hard not to crave a bit more depth and nuance.

While there is certainly untapped potential to explore not only the heart-rending experience of infertility and loss, but also the complex and varied emotions that accompany building a family using donor gametes, I credit this film for its success in tackling other weighty themes with humour and grace.

I'm still searching for the rom-com that will dethrone 'Notting Hill' from my number one slot, but 'The Wedding Banquet' is an easy recommendation for anyone seeking a warm, funny, and emotionally grounded story rooted in contemporary realities.