'Table 19' Review

Have you ever been to a wedding only to be grouped with a bunch of strangers in the table assignments? Well, that's the predicament the oddballs find themselves in at Table 19. The table's composed of the ex-maid of honor who was recently dumped over text by the bride's brother, a bickering couple, an ex-con, the bride's former nanny, and an ambitious yet awkward youngster intent on finding love. Of course the group bonds and learns a thing or two from each other over the evening. 

Table 19 is directed by Jeffrey Blitz, who does a fine job spotlighting the comedic talent at his disposal. Blitz direction's fairly reserved alongside just about all the other technical elements of the film, something somewhat expected from a comedy. The screenplay penned by Jay and Mark Duplass has plenty of zingers and comedic beats that are only enhanced by the adept ensemble. While the dialogue is tongue-in-cheek, the story is rather generic leading you to predict the outcome of the entire film rather quickly so you almost feel as though you've seen the film when it's all said and done. 

I was quite impressed by the comedic talents assembled for this flick with actors you'll be familiar with from a few television series like The Office and Friends. Anna Kendrick's plucky charm doesn't go amiss, June Squibb plays the adorable elderly woman with more spunk than you'd expect, Tony Revolori continues to excel in the dorky outcast role, even if his character's purely there for comedic purposes, while Craig Robinson and Lisa Kudrow's squabbling couple are likable and have some great comedic timing but feel tacked on to add some drama to the proceedings. Stephen Merchant is the one who perhaps stole the show in my eyes, his deadpan dialogue delivery and scatterbrained approach to the character made Walter Thimble a constant source of delight. There's not really any other shining stars among the cast, especially considering the focus on this core group of individuals. 

Table 19's a cute wedding comedy that would be just as enjoyable on home media or to be caught on cable but it's not worth rushing out to your local cinema. Table 19 has it's moments and I can admit to laughing hysterically in a few instances but for the most part is exactly what you expect, a quirky comedy you'll probably never feel compelled to watch again. 

Film Assessment: C