Weddings have always been an occasion for families to reunite and reconnect. One meets one’s relatives twice or three times removed, and it often brings back old memories. Of course, there are moments when you dread meeting certain relatives because they are not pleasant company. But one has to dance the merry dance of weddings when one wants to keep up appearances. “The People We Hate at the Wedding” is a humorous commentary on the same.
Spoilers Ahead
‘The People We Hate at the Wedding’ Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?
“The People We Hate at the Wedding,” tells the story of an American woman named Donna and her three children from two marriages. Her eldest daughter, Eloise, is getting married, and she invited her mother and her two half-siblings to her wedding in England. Over the years, the relationship between the four has only grown strained, and Eloise’s wedding is an attempt to smooth out the wrinkles. Alice and Paul are Donna’s children from her second marriage to Bill. Bill passed away a few years ago, and the relationship between Donna and her children has been strained since. Paul is gay, and he avoids his mother at all costs. He is dating Dominic, against whom he feels very inadequate. Dominic is quite self-centered and does not regard Paul’s feelings at all.
Alice is an architect but ends up working as an assistant at an architecture firm. She is having an affair with her boss, who is married and also has a baby. Her boss, Jonathan, makes several false promises that he will separate from his wife. On her way to Eloise’s wedding in England, Alice meets Dennis on a flight. They instantly click with each other, but Alice still pushes him away whenever Jonathan shows her the slightest attention. Dennis confronts her about her behavior with him whenever Jonathan comes into the picture when she ditches him again at the last moment.
Donna rekindles her romance with Henrique, her first husband, and Eloise’s father. The two also have a moment of realization when Donna finds Henrique frolicking around with young women. His behavior is a clear indication that he did not change his ways. Paul is angered to see Henrique disregard his mother once again.
Eloise tries to make amends with Alice and Paul by providing them with hotel room upgrades or fancy dinner invites during their stay in England, but it only deepens their dislike for her because they think she is flaunting her wealth. Eloise’s bachelorette party is also disappointing because it is not the perfect or aesthetic party she had in mind. She and her friends ended up being a spectacle in front of the onlookers. One after the other, things leading up to her wedding have been disappointing or embarrassing for her. She loses her calm eventually and gives a peek into her reserved behavior as well.
‘The People Who We Hate At The Wedding’ Ending: What Happens To Donna And Her Three Children?
The second half of “The People Who We Hate at the Wedding” smooths out the creases in the relationship between Donna, Eloise, Alice, and Paul. The family who was estranged over the period of years finds their old spark back. They did what was long overdue: they had a good heart-to-heart conversation about the things that led to a crack in their relationship with each other. Their conversations also lead to some eye-opening realities. Eloise’s wedding was more than just a reunion between estranged family members. In the process of reuniting with their families, the members also grew as individuals. Paul confronts Dominic about their relationship. He comes out as a mature individual. Alice, too, kicks Jonathan to the curb, and things look hopeful between her and Dennis as well. Eloise, who finds out that she can never get pregnant, adopts a baby a year after her marriage. Donna, Eloise, Alice, and Paul rekindle their familial ties with each other and try to make up for the lost time through yearly visits.
When at Eloise’s wedding rehearsal dinner, Donna, Alice, and Paul alternately end up making a scene and are locked up in jail; Donna says that they are the people that others say snarky things about at a wedding. That brings us to the title “The People We Hate at the Wedding,” for Donna’s comment reflects why the film uses such a title. These people have made a scene at the wedding, but in their own way, they find a place for themselves in the memories related to the wedding.
‘The People We Hate At The Wedding’ is a 2022 comedy drama film directed by Claire Scanlon.
