After the Wedding  ★★½

THE 2019 drama After the Wedding treads a fine line and doesn’t quite manage to stay the course.

It stars two fine actresses, in Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams, who almost pull things off.

Williams plays Isabel, an American woman who gave up the rat race to establish an orphanage in India which she also now helps to run. Moore is Theresa, the head of a successful publishing agency in New York who is seeking a new charity to support.

Theresa is impressed by the proposal put forward by Isabel to support the orphanage but insists on meeting her in person before she will agree. Reluctantly, Isabel travels to New York and the initial meeting goes well.

But Theresa wants a few days to think things over before another meeting. She is also busy with final plans for her daughter’s wedding to be held the next weekend. Isabel has to stay longer than she anticipated and, again reluctantly, agrees to attend the wedding.

There Isabel is introduced to Theresa’s husband Oscar, played by Billy Crudup, and immediately recognises him from her past.

So far, so good. It’s an intriguing first act, enhanced by seeing Moore and Williams together.

However, from here the contrivances of the plot build to the point where you both realise and dread the twists that are coming.

I’m not against tear-jerkers, but there is little natural in the construction of this story which requires too much suspension of disbelief by the audience and leads to detachment from circumstances that should have more emotional impact.

The film is written and directed by Bart Freundlich, Moore’s real life partner, whose six previous credits don’t feature anything particularly notable. It’s a shame because the acting is of a quality that does manage to keeps you engaged, despite the plot misgivings.

This is also a remake of a Danish film which may be worth searching out if you were suitably intrigued by this later version.

The 2006 original starred Mads Mikkelsen in the Williams’ role and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at that year’s Academy Awards.