POLISH WEDDING

SYNOPSIS:
Hala (Claire Danes) is her father's (Gabriel Byrne) favourite and the thorn in her mother's (Lena Olin) side. Hala is a young girl-woman teetering at the crossroads of destiny equipped only with her mother's primal sensuality and her father's soul and intelligence. In her effort to wrest from life all that she thinks it owes her, Hala is sucked into the spiral of her family's history and into adventures which she conducts late at night through the basement window. When her escapades get her into trouble with handsome outsider Russel Schuster (Adam Trese), a Polish Wedding is planned – one that doesn't quite go as intended.

"The best thing about Polish Wedding is its exuberating cast who bring an energy and vibrancy to what might otherwise be a rather forced family comedy. There's a delicious contrast between the free-spirited nature of mother and daughter (Lena Olin is riveting; rising star Clare Danes is extraordinary) and the resignation and despondency of father (Gabriel Byrne is sympathetic, contrasting Olin beautifully). It's really a story about relationships – between father and daughter, mother and daughter, husband and wife, wife and lover. The characters have a kind of eccentricity that is appealing, although their impact is somewhat lessened by a tired script that tries too hard. Tired too is the soundtrack – a catchy, rhythmic, but annoyingly repetitive theme. But there are some great moments – one is in the men's rest room, when Lena Olin's cleaning lady meets her lover for an illicit rendez vous. The poignancy of the scene in the pantry, filled with home made pickled gherkins is one that will haunt those who understand the passion East Europeans have for this delicious gourmet item. There's not much that is realistic; it's about enjoying the somewhat improbable eccentric characters in a unique milieu."
Louise Keller