Muriel's wedding critical analysis
In Muriel's wedding, the perception of comedian has soon arrived into a melodrama
derived by P.J Hogan, as the film covers the low self-esteem Muriel in breaking
through the bondages around her family and friends, trespassing from suburban to
civilisation.
Muriel begins the film as an overweight loser from Queensland, a woman trapped by
a dysfunctional family, an apathetic neighbourhood, and a clique of beautiful "best
friends." The movie opens with a shot of a beautiful friend's wedding, where one of
the clique members is shown having an affair with the groom. The movie moves that
fast: credits, wedding, affair. Before the scandalous couple have time to emerge from
their private room the ugly misfit Muriel is taken into custody by the police.
Apparently, she never paid for her leopard-print dress. (3)
Hogan establishes his characters rather quickly. The evil clique is made up of Barbie
look-alikes who criticize Muriel for not wearing frosted lipstick. Muriel is clumsy,
overweight and "useless," hopelessly ostracized from the inner circle by her
unemployment and consequent failure to follow fashion. "I've got a job," Muriel tells
them, referring to a cosmetics sales position offered by her father's mistress. "It's not
your clothes," the friends retort, it's you."
Crushed, Muriel steals money from her parents and buys a holiday at the same resort
where the clique is staying. Once there she meets up with a friend from high school
(Rachel Griffiths) whose noble character is symbolized by her short black hair and
indifference toward fashion.
The two women celebrate their independence from the neurosis of Porpoise Spit by
running away to Sydney, where they get jobs, meet men, and have the time of their
lives. "When I was living in Porpoise Spit I used to sit in my room all day and listen
to Abba songs," Muriel says. "Since I've come to Sydney, I haven't listened to Abba at
all."
Muriel's Wedding uses the songs of the
derived by P.J Hogan, as the film covers the low self-esteem Muriel in breaking
through the bondages around her family and friends, trespassing from suburban to
civilisation.
Muriel begins the film as an overweight loser from Queensland, a woman trapped by
a dysfunctional family, an apathetic neighbourhood, and a clique of beautiful "best
friends." The movie opens with a shot of a beautiful friend's wedding, where one of
the clique members is shown having an affair with the groom. The movie moves that
fast: credits, wedding, affair. Before the scandalous couple have time to emerge from
their private room the ugly misfit Muriel is taken into custody by the police.
Apparently, she never paid for her leopard-print dress. (3)
Hogan establishes his characters rather quickly. The evil clique is made up of Barbie
look-alikes who criticize Muriel for not wearing frosted lipstick. Muriel is clumsy,
overweight and "useless," hopelessly ostracized from the inner circle by her
unemployment and consequent failure to follow fashion. "I've got a job," Muriel tells
them, referring to a cosmetics sales position offered by her father's mistress. "It's not
your clothes," the friends retort, it's you."
Crushed, Muriel steals money from her parents and buys a holiday at the same resort
where the clique is staying. Once there she meets up with a friend from high school
(Rachel Griffiths) whose noble character is symbolized by her short black hair and
indifference toward fashion.
The two women celebrate their independence from the neurosis of Porpoise Spit by
running away to Sydney, where they get jobs, meet men, and have the time of their
lives. "When I was living in Porpoise Spit I used to sit in my room all day and listen
to Abba songs," Muriel says. "Since I've come to Sydney, I haven't listened to Abba at
all."
Muriel's Wedding uses the songs of the