By Kevin Jagernauth | The Playlist July 31, 2012 at 2:16PM
Hollywood is a weird place. While it can be known for being forward-thinking or progressive in its politics, willing to adapt to social changes and put new stories on the big screen, like the Oscar-nominated "The Kids Are All Right" that offers a refreshing and modern look at families, on the other hand, it can be strangely conservative. And so, we'll forgive you if when watching the trailer for "The Big Wedding" you might think it was exhumed from a previous decade (or two).
Though the movie gets together some talented people and familiar faces -- Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Topher Grace, Amanda Seyfried -- and then totally wastes them on an insipid story and broad characters. In case it matters, the tale revolves around a separated couple who are forced to pretend to be together again (gasp!) when their adopted son decides to get married, because his biological, super religious mother is against the idea of divorce (double gasp!). Why the son can't man up to the woman who didn't raise him, or why everyone needs to scurry around this person whose views are woefully out of date isn't explained, so instead we get a lot of dumb comedy and actors cashing paychecks. Robin Williams is wacky! Katherine Heigl is an ice queen -- again! Diane Keaton and Susan Sarandon are hot older women with Robert De Niro in the middle! Lord.
Anyway, this wholly uninspired film arrives on October 26th and it's directed by the guy who wrote "The Bucket List." So there you go.