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The Wedding Banquet is Queer As(ia) Folk on the big screen.
Centered around the Chinese LGBTQ+ community – even though, in this case, it’s only really LG…
For Angela (Kelly Marie Tran – Star Wars Episode VII: The Last Jedi) – who works as a scientist in the research of plastic-eating worms, and Lee (Lily Gladstone – Killers Of The Flower Moon), the latter has twice tried IVF treatment, but it’s not working for her. As well as the fact that she’s advised against going ahead more than three times in total, the pair haven’t got the money for another round.
Meanwhile, for their lodgers and best friends, Korean chap Min (Han Gi-Chan) wants to marry his Chinese boyfriend, Chris (Bowen Yang – Wicked Part I), the latter of whom is afraid to commit. Sure, the marriage would help Min get a green card, but it’s not all about that for him.
Hence, since Chris appears to have cold feet, and since Min comes from a rich family, the offer comes for Min to marry Amanda, who is prepared to lie and pretend she’s straight, in return for the money for that third round of IVF.
There’s a few obvious tropes in here, such as Angela’s disapproving mother, May (Joan Chen), often because not all of them can handle the aspect of a gay relative, but there’s also a lot of humour, such as when they think they can hide the truth from Min’s rich grandma, Ja-Young (Youn Yuh-jung), they rush round the house “hiding all the gay stuff” that’s on display, to which Angela replies, “EVERYTHING in this house is gay(!)”
Similarly, Min moans, “I hate living in America. The trains don’t run on time, and I never know how much to tip(!)”
However, once grandma twigs the situation, and is happy with the situation, she sets out a tradition of throwing chestnuts and Jujubes for Min and Angela to catch, the number caught dictating the number of children they will have. However, when asked whether the chestnuts and Jujubes are meant to specifically denote the sons and which are the daughters, she’s forgotten.
Hence, the quip comes, “They’ll have 15 non-binary children(!)”
Plus, disappointed that he’s effectively losing Min, student Chris bemoans, “I’ll play all the Kingdom Hearts inbetween games, and then do my dissertation. How’s that for getting my shit done(?)”
Given that I hadn’t seen – and had long since forgotten the existence of – Ang Lee’s 1993 movie of the same name and premise, The Wedding Banquet (2025) feels like the opening two episodes of a new Netflix series, and I actually could go for more of this.
Additionally, when the Tico sisters first came into the Star Wars universe, in The Last Jedi, I was very much Team Paige (Veronica Ngo), albeit her role being very small; but now… we need more Rose! Kelly Marie Tran is a damn sight hotter now, than she was eight years ago!
Also, it’s rare we get any Chinese films at the Trafford Centre, and even less, a LGBTQ+ drama. Sadly, for the screening I was in, at 8pm on a Sunday evening, I was the only one in there. However, it must’ve had a few people in across the week (two showings per day), for it to come back for a second week for one per day, even if they were all just before midday.
NOTE: There are no mid- or post-credits scenes.
The Wedding Banquet is in cinemas now, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. However, once announced, it will appear on the New DVD Blu-ray 3D and 4K releases UK list.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 103 minutes
Release date: May 9th 2025
Studio: Bleecker Street
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 8/10
Director: Andrew Ahn
Producers: Caroline Clark, Anita Gou, Joe Pirro, James Schamus
Screenplay: James Schamus, Andrew Ahn
Based upon the original screenplay by: Ang Lee, Neil Peng
Music: Jay Wadley
Cast:
Angela Chen: Kelly Marie Tran
Lee: Lily Gladstone
Chris: Bowen Yang
Min: Han Gi-Chan
May Chen: Joan Chen
Ja-Young: Youn Yuh-jung
Kendall: Bobo Le
Monica: Camille Atebe
Lady Shu Mai: Jeffrey Liang
Lawyer Sun: Emma Yi
Susan: Françoise Yip
Marge: Marlee Walchuk
Marshall: Jeremy Hoffman
Kal: Sherine Menes
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.