(2005)
3
Derek Armstrong
In Confetti, the rich genre of the mockumentary -- at its most glorious when examining human foibles magnified by the spotlight -- finds a rich target indeed: a British magazine contest in which three engaged couples vie for the most original wedding concept. Combine the natural pressures of planning a wedding with the contenders' excessive competitive juices, and Confetti is like a bubbling cauldron of behavioral study -- and therefore, quite believable even when it seems mildly exaggerated. That the exaggeration never goes from minor to major keeps Debbie Isitt's movie tethered to reality, as well as occasionally quite touching. Unlike some of Christopher Guest's later efforts, Confetti doesn't derive pleasure from making an ass of everyone onscreen. In fact, just the opposite -- Isitt's love for her characters comes shining through. Of course, the default position of any mockumentary is to tease and prod the shortcomings of people with grand delusions. But even this film's resident asses -- a jealous, ultra-competitive tennis pro (Stephen Mangan) and his fiancée (Meredith MacNeill) -- get moments to reveal their genuine and tragic humanity. Much easier to blissfully cheer along are the nudist (Robert Webb) and his reluctantly nudist fiancée (Olivia Colman), and the pair of Broadway enthusiasts (Martin Freeman, of the original Office, and Jessica Stevenson). These couples work through the myriad of concomitant stresses in funny and unblinking ways, and Isitt develops them so effectively, viewers feel actual nervousness watching their chosen concept come together (or fail to come together). Acting as a constant between the three couples is a pair of delightful and comically overworked wedding planners (Vincent Franklin and Jason Watkins), themselves a couple working through their own series of exhaustions and relatable delusions.
Confetti on AllMovie
Confetti (2005)
