Hulu's 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' is guaranteed to make you feel good, and nothing more
Mindy Kaling of 'The Mindy Project' fame, announced May last year that she was doing a reboot of the 1994 romantic comedy movie 'Four Weddings and a Funeral.'
Written by Richard Curtis, the original movie revolved around Hugh Grant's Charles who falls in love with Andie MacDowell' Carrie as he attends the weddings of four of his friends.
Kaling also announced that she wanted to make the miniseries relevant to contemporary times by making it reflect our realities, specifically by incorporating a diverse cast.
The protagonists in the original movie were white, but Kaling's lead couple is part Indian, part African-American in the form of actress Nathalie Emmanuel and actor Nikesh Patel.
Kaling was completely invested in the miniseries: "I wanted to take the themes and the essence of the movie and apply it through my eyes—of what I would like to see that I haven't seen yet. I know so many beautiful, funny, interesting African-American girls and so many handsome, hilarious British-Pakistani and British-Indian guys and I don't think anyone would put them together if I'm not going to do it," she was reported as saying.
According to the official synopsis of the Hulu show, Maya (played by Nathalie Emmanuel) is a young communications director for a New York senatorial campaign. When she receives a wedding invitation from her college schoolmate Ainsley (played by Rebecca Rittenhouse), now living in London, she leaves her professional and personal life behind to travel to England and reconnect with old friends.
But things don't go as per plan, obviously, and Maya ends up in the midst of their personal crises.
In this contemporary revival of 'Four Weddings and a Funeral,' relationships are forged and broken, political scandals exposed, London social life lampooned, love affairs ignited and doused, and, of course, there are the four weddings and a funeral.
The miniseries coming to Hulu seemed to be an exciting upcoming romantic comedy that juxtaposed questions about love and companionship. That is until the trailer released.
Kaling has done everything and more than she promised with 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'.
Also, the intentions of making the story contemporary are visible in the trailer.
However, the trailer for the Hulu miniseries is the most average one for a romantic comedy you will watch.
Actually, there is nothing you have not seen before. There are instances in the trailer that are reminiscent of other rom-com trailers you may have watched in the past.
If we are to make out the sense direction of the series from just the trailer, we can say it is predictable.
To be fair, there is little novelty attached to 'Four Weddings and a Funeral,' considering how we already know how the story goes.
The show doesn't seem to bring anything new to the table.
Yet, there is at least one exciting part about the trailer.
'Four Weddings and a Funeral' might as well have taken some inspiration from Bollywood as the trailer ends on (what is supposed to be) a funny note by a random dude who drives Patel to the airport.
This feat, we commend Kaling for.
The miniseries stars Nathalie Emmanuel, Nikesh Patel, Rebecca Rittenhouse, John Paul Reynolds, Brandon Mychal Smith, Zoe Boyle, Harish Patel and Guz Khan.
It is set to come to Hulu on July 31, 2019.
You shouldn't expect to be swept away. Rather, you may be mildly pacified by the illusion that love exists and that it will find you when you're not looking for it.