Directed by P.J. Hogan
Written by P.J. Hogan
1994/Australia
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
[box] Bill: Sits around the house like a dead weight, watching TV, sleeping all day, getting arrested at weddings! You’re useless. You’re all useless. A bunch of useless no-hopers.[/box]
The anti-Cinderella story with a happy ending.
Muriel (Toni Collette) lives in the beach town of Porpoise Spit, Australia. Her father is a politician, mother is chronically depressed (with good reason), and her siblings are all slackers, Muriel hides out in her bedroom all day listening to ABBA songs over and over and dreaming of a big white wedding.
Muriel’s “friends” think they are too good for her. After Muriel is arrested at one of their weddings, her father tries to set her up with his mistress in the beauty supply business. She is given a bunch of blank checks to pay the mistress for samples. Instead, she cleans out her family’s bank account and heads off to join her “friends” on an island vacation. They do not appreciate her presence.
Fortunately, she meets an old high school friend, Rhonda (Rachel Griffiths), They take off for Sydney together and have adventures Muriel never dreamed of. Can sisterhood last when Muriel gets a wedding proposal she cannot seem to refuse?
Gee, I love this movie. ABBA music never had a better work out. Collette explodes on the screen in one of her first leading roles. It’s a truly hilarious coming-of-age story for girls and women. Warmly recommended if the description appeals.
It has been so long since I saw this one. It is one of my wife’s favorite movies and it is about time we watch it again. Thanks for reminding me.
These days Australia is making daily headlines with all those terrible forest fires. I will be going there in three weeks time and dreading what I will find there. There is no escape for a slow koala…
If there is anything worse than a California wildfire it is an Australian bush fire. Hope you are not going to a smoky place.
I recently discovered “Muriel’s Wedding,” What fun! Love Toni!
Me too! Toni is an absolute chameleon among actresses.