"Our Family Wedding" is directed by Rick Famuyiwa, who made "The Wood" and "Brown Sugar.” This is important to know because, if you've seen these movies, you know the kind of relationships he establishes and the context in which these movies happen.

There is always a depiction of contemporary Urban America that we all can depend on to look good, and drama we all can relate to in some way.

In this story, America Fererra and Lance Gross are Lucia and Marcus, a young couple in love. Lucia's family is Mexican-American and owns an auto repair/body shop. Marcus is from a single-parent African American household, lead by his father, Los Angeles DJ, Brad Boyd (played by Forest Whitaker).

The young couple announce their plans to marry, and a predictable cultural clash happens.

Marcus is fresh out of med school and has committed to a year in Laos with Doctors Without Borders. Lucia is supposed to be finishing up her law degree at Columbia but is choosing to follow her heart in more ways than one. She has to confront her parents and, eventually, herself, about her choices and the life she's actually leading.

Lucia's sister is a tomboy who has become a master mechanic and invaluable to their father's business. The relationship between the two is tested because, while Lucia is non-confrontational, her sister's style is very up-front.

"Our Family Wedding" leans on the old jokes. There is a Latin Grandmother who talks about you in Spanish while you're in the room. She passes out when she meets Marcus. No, seriously. She hits the floor.

There is a scene with Taye Diggs and Charlie Murphy that belongs in a barbershop.

If there's a racial stereotype about Blacks and/or Hispanics, it's in this movie. If there's an age-ist stereotype, it's in this movie. There's Viagra. Marriages on autopilot. If that's not enough, there's a goat. Who gets into the Viagra.

One great thing about this movie is the relationship between Brad Boyd and his son. For all of his OCD-tendencies and young girl-chasing, Brad loves his son, and there are some good scenes between Whitaker and Gross. For a film with racial stereotypes, the dead-beat dad is not one that's explored in this film. Thankfully.

"Our Family Wedding" is a story about love, honesty and good families.

What happens when you raise your kids to have more than you had? What happens to tradition? These are a couple of the questions raised in this comedy. But the movie's potential is held down by some over-the-top jokes, questionable casting (why are Forest Whitaker and Regina King in this movie?) and sight gags.

It's just too much at times. There are more cringes than laughs, unfortunately.

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Daryle Lockhart is founder and publisher of TheBlackBoxOffice.com.
 

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