In 1985, Robbie Hart (Sandler) is a popular wedding singer. He loves singing at weddings and is good at entertaining everyone in the crowd. He is engaged to his long-time girlfriend Linda (Featherstone) and looking forward to their upcoming wedding. Julia Sullivan (Barrymore) is a waitress at the reception hall, and she and Robbie quickly become friends. Julia has been engaged for several years to Glenn (Glave), a businessman, but he is finally ready to set a date and have the big wedding of her dreams. Robbie's best friend, Sammy (Covert), is the only limo driver in town and and Julia's cousin Holly (Taylor) also waitresses at the reception hall.
When Linda doesn't show up to their wedding, Robbie is devastated. He is bitter and brokenhearted and doesn't want anything to do with weddings. But he does agree to help Julia with wedding planning. The more time they spend together, the more Robbie realizes he wants more than friendship. Can he admit his feelings to Julia?
This is one of Adam Sandler's most popular (and memorable) films. It is also his first collaboration with Drew Barrymore. He and Barrymore made 3 films together: The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates directed by Peter Segal in 2004 and Blended in 2014. The director of this film, Frank Coraci, also directed Blended.
This is a typical rom com plot and is set in the 1980s. It is still an enjoyable flick, with a great 1980s soundtrack. Sandler and Barrymore have great chemistry and both seem to be having a great time. The film also features roles / cameos for Sandler's regulars. His friend Allen Covert has a much larger role than in previous films (which continued with the next few Sandler films). Steve Buscemi and Jon Lovitz have small but hilarious roles. Buscemi is the drunk best man at the opening wedding and Lovitz is a creepy wedding singer. Singer Billy Idol has a cameo as himself, which is entertaining. And Ellen Albertini Dow is funny as Rosie, the elderly woman that is getting voice lessons from Robbie.
It is a predictable, but funny film. Especially the second wedding Robbie performs at, and the songs he picks. I also enjoy the song he writes for Linda, and the reaction of Lovitz's character.
In 2006 the story was adapted into a Broadway musical by Matthew Sklar (music), Chad Beguelin (lyrics and book), and Tim Herlihy (book). The story / characters are a little different, but the original songs from the film ("Somebody Kill Me" and "Grow Old With You") are in the show. The original production starred Stephen Lynch as Robbie and Laura Benanti as Julia. The show was nominated for several Tony Awards (Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for Lynch, and Best Choreography) but did not win any.
The Wedding Singer (1998) 95 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sex-related material and language
Director: Frank Coraci
Starring: Adam Sandler as Robbie Hart
Drew Barrymore as Julia Sullivan
Christine Taylor as Holly Sullivan
Allen Covert as Sammy
Matthew Glave as Glenn Gulia
Ellen Albertini Dow as Rosie
Angela Featherstone as Linda
Alexis Arquette as George Stitzer
Christina Pickles as Angie Sullivan
Jodi Thelan as Kate Hart
Frank Sivero as Andy
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