Yes, I know, another romantic comedy, the genre of film I have decried as being predictable and repetitive.  On this note, there is not much that separates Destination Wedding (2018) from others of its ilk.  Boy meets girl and they fall in love.  At the end, the movie has the audacity to ask if that is what is happening, as if all the events to which we have been privy are not the sum total of the two characters existence.  And therein lies one difference between this and others like it. There are, in fact, only two characters.  Oh, you see other people in the background, but the entirety of the dialog is delivered by the female and male leads.  That will make this, like the movie itself, short.

The alternate title of Destination Wedding is “A Narcissist Can’t Die Because Then the Entire World Would End.”  This should tell you practically everything you need to know about Frank (Keanu Reeves) and Lindsay (Winona Ryder). Though we see marketing executive Frank and lawyer Lindsay separately at the beginning, they are destined to meet at the airport on their way to the nuptials of Keith (Ted Dubost) and Ann (DJ Dallenbach).  The location for the event is San Luis Obispo, so they are taking a small, eight passenger plane to the central California city.  It is Frank that first talks to Lindsay, exchanging pleasantries before he moves a little further towards the gate doors.  She takes umbrage at this, and their once neutral acquaintance slowly dissolves into near constant bickering over, well, everything.  It is also about this time that they realize they are on this trip for the same purpose.  Lindsay had once been engaged to Keith, and Keith is Frank’s half-brother.  Neither Frank or Lindsay have any warm feelings for Keith.  Frank is present mostly out of obligation.  As for Lindsay, she feels like going would make her appear to be the bigger person.  Their shared distaste for the whole affair, particularly having to travel to be a part of it, is the start of a strange bond.  At first it is happenstance, having adjacent rooms and being sat next to each other at the rehearsal dinner.  From this last vantage point, they can sit and share their complaints about each other, Keith and the stunningly attractive Ann, and life in general.  They become companions, and they have a common wit and tastes in films, this last one noticeable that night when Frank turns off his television only to hear her playing the same flick next door.  They are each about to knock on the door separating them before they decide instead to go to bed.  The wedding is the following day, in the middle of a vineyard, with the reception next to it.  To avoid dancing and being otherwise sociable, they take a walk away from the other guests.  Their path is soon blocked by a mountain lion.  What scares it off is this odd hissing sound that Frank makes, which eventually convinces the predator to seek its prey elsewhere.  Once it turns the other way, they do too, but take a tumble down a short incline.  When they come to a stop, they have sex, though it is one of the more awkward sequences of the film.  For example, they carry on their negative repartee throughout the entire process.  Whatever it is that happens, they soon go back to their hotel and spend the evening watching television and chatting.  They do perhaps the most narcissistic thing you can imagine in asking the other to describe themselves.  Having said that, they are quite eloquent.  Frank goes first for Lindsay.  It is also enough to convince Lindsay that there is something more going on between them.  Frank will have nothing to do with this conversation, insisting that it is merely a weekend interlude.  She is about to leave when he firmly says that he would not even consider the possibility of a longer commitment, but he relents when she is about to make good her threat to go.  The next morning there is a farewell brunch, but they stay for as little time as possible, getting to the airport hours early.  On the plane ride back, Lindsay, fueled by wine, is becoming more convinced that they are falling in love.  Frank remains steadfast that this is not the case, but chivalrously gives her the first taxi and helps her into it.  Upon getting home, he starts going through the gift bags he took as they departed and notices the same chocolate bar he had shared with Lindsay the previous night.  It is enough to convince him that she was right.  Thus, he goes to her address and we end with him and her door.

As you can see, Destination Wedding is pretty straight forward.  Because it is only two people talking, it makes for a blessedly short film, though I will give due credit for some moments of snappy dialog.  Still, as a Catholic I could not disagree more with the pessimistic attitude the two take towards life and people.  Then again, they are narcissists.  All the same, this is more of a philosophical discussion.  They have their way of looking at the world, and I have mine.  One day, we will see who is right.  Spoiler alert: it is God.  There was one moment, though, that specifically caught my Catholic attention between my sighs over the main characters’ behavior.  As they are departing, they are bemoaning the layout of the town of San Luis Obispo.  As part of the establishing shots, there is a statue of St. Junipero Serra.  He founded the mission that later became the town, naming it after St. Louis of Anjou, bishop of Toulouse.  Lindsay claims that this person left the Church.  I am not sure who was in charge of research for this film, but that is not what happened.  St. Louis came from royalty, but gave up a chance at the throne, and his bishop’s seat, to live a life of poverty among the Franciscans.  I guess it would make sense that they would get this wrong considering the skewed world view of our protagonists.

If it is witty dialog you like, then you might enjoy Destination Wedding.  I will admit to a few clever turns of phrases.  At the same time, I am diametrically opposed to almost all of their behavior.  God is real and He loves us all, even those who seem to have trouble exhibiting any form of kindness.