I distinctly remember my first introduction to the brilliance behind Richard Curtis, one of the most remarkable romantic comedy screenwriters out of England, and I have to give a huge shout out to my mom because she allowed me to watch the flamboyant, sweary, yet somehow marvelously-charming Bridget Jones' Diary at an age that most would refuse. Since this classic introduction, I've been unremittingly hooked to the wistful, starry-eyed romance scenes of every Curtis film, from Notting Hill and Love Actually to the ridiculous, yet lovely Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Speaking of Four Weddings and a Funeral, I hold an abundance of respect for Mindy Kaling and Matt Warburton's go at creating a TV adaptation to this romantically-entangled Curtis film. A lot of the reviews I've read have not been holding back their disappointment that this TV miniseries didn't live up to the success and charm of the original film; however, I don't think that's where Kaling and Warburton's intentions lied in the making of this series. It felt more like a tip-of-a-hat sort of theme to some of the most-notable romantic comedies that people seem to remain sentimental toward after some 20-25 years, and I think that's quite delightful. With that being said, I do unfortunately agree that this attempt at meeting the level of intimacy and clever romanticism the classic gives its audience is not quite a success.
The TV adaption to Four Weddings and a Funeral follows four American friends – Maya, Ainsley, Craig, and Duffy – who join together for Ainsley's extravagant London wedding; however, a shocking catastrophe of sorts at the altar instigates a year of romance, friendship, and figuring out how to stabilize them both. The TV show doesn't align much with the movie, except for the fact that it's set in London and involves the outline of four weddings and one funeral, and while watching the Hulu series, I never caught sight of the lighthearted enthrallment of the giddy, high-on-love characters portrayed in the comedy film. The series focuses more on the distressing drama that interrupts the quirky relationships between the four characters.
Now, although it didn't live up to the traditional film, I never expected it to, and I praise Kaling and Warburton and their ability to blend much-adored rom com classics into a series of fresh stories built out of friendship and love.
