This magnificent Argentinean film centers on Rafael (Ricardo Darín), a restaurateur whose life is becoming a knot of stress and failing relationships. When his father, Nino (Héctor Alterio), decides that after 44 years of marriage he wants to give his wife, Norma (Norma Aleandro), the church wedding she always wanted, Rafael scoffs; Norma has advanced Alzheimer's and doesn't recognize where she is or who's around her. After Rafael has a heart attack, he realizes he has to change his life--but when he makes changes, he discovers how much of his life he'd been taking for granted, and that he may have cast aside the very things he seeks. Son of the Bride is smartly and richly written, directed with generosity and precision, and full of astonishingly full performances. The story's full of clever touches, but it never lets cleverness overwhelm humanity. Simply a superb movie. --Bret Fetzer

Average Customer Review: ( 22 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.

Basically, the film shows us how Rafael's life changes through a series of events that happen to him and his family, with the final message being that there's more to life than work, and that love is the strongest force there is (at least, that's my take). The tag line says it all: "If life passed you by, what are you waiting for to catch up?". It has some of the funniest dialogues ever, showcasing, in a not-so-stereotypical way, how people from Buenos Aires speak and behave (and I should know, my wife's family's from there!) - although it should be said that some of it may get lost in the translation, especially when really local expressions are used.

The acting is excellent accross the board. Darin is great as the not-so-likeable protagonist, with whom we grow closer as the movie progresses, and most of the other characters, like his girlfriend Naty (the lovely Natalia Verbeke), his ex-wife (Claudia Fontán) and others, while not having that much screen time, give great performances. But the best acting of the film is done by Héctor Alterio, as Nino, Rafael's father, Norma Aleandro (they've worked together in many films, most notably The Official Story, and most recently Cleopatra, with Natalia Oreiro) who plays Norma, his Alzheimer's disease suffering mother, and by Eduardo Blanco, who plays Juan Carlos, his wacky childhood friend who has become an actor.

If you're in the mood to try something that's decidedly not Hollywood, yet refreshing, funny and heartwarming, be sure to give this movie a look. It's well worth it!

2 of 2 found the following review helpful:

Life is what you choose to make of itDec 23, 2005
By Manny Hernandez "@askmanny"
Watching this movie, I couldn't help but cry. It is not hard to identify with Rafael, this guy who is so submerged in his the world of his business, that he doesn't have enough time to give to others around him (his mother/father, his girlfriend, his daughter from a marriage that also failed due to the same thing...) It's sad to realize how many of us fall in this category, where a business meeting can take precedence over those, more important things in one's life, but it happens. And Ricardo Darín (Marco from "Nine Queens") does a magnificent job at playing the part in this movie.

Equally odd are the turns our lives need to take for us to realize how fragile we are and how important it is for us not to fall pray of the machine that hounds us and surrounds us. Rafael had to suffer a stroke to "get it", and even then, he'd still struggle against some deeply rooted habits. His dad and the strength of the love he still had for his mom, after over 44 years of marriage and in spite of her ailment (suffering from Alzheimer's), inspires Rafael to overcome any leftover stupidity in his life and not let the important things be lost without a fight.

"Son of the Bride" is an inspiring story with splendid acting by the entire cast, that reminds you of the important things in life and that life itself is indeed what you choose to make of it.

See all 22 customer reviews on Amazon.com