“An amusing portrayal of a day in the life of a groom.”

Your wedding day is meant to be one of the most joyous occasions in life, as you look forward to sharing the rest of your days with your one and only. At best, you may hope that it will be a ‘lovely day’ for all of your guests. However, for Alain – the groom to be – his past and present collide on his wedding day in dramatic but comedic fashion in Philippe Falardeau’s Lovely Day. It’s an anxiety-fuelled occasion for him that spirals out of control to somewhat absurdist effect.

Bill Withers’ 1977 song ‘Lovely Day’ features in the film, and there are other literary references embedded within this adaptation of Alain Farah’s autobiographical novel Mille secrets mille dangers, which is also the film’s French title. The structure of the film also takes inspiration from literary devices with title cards punctuating precise moments occurring across Alain’s wedding day. Already, with the film’s non-linear structure, its preference for the unconventional is apparent, but this is further displayed in the choice to have the film centring on an anxiety-prone groom.

We learn from the initial scenes that Alain, played by Neil Elias, likes to flout the rules and play with danger as, despite being reminded by his best man Édouard that French fries will trigger his allergies, he continues to eat them in the name of fun, and indulges in some cringe-worthy actions too! This is a recurring element in Lovely Day, as Alain defies expectations and the film flits through parallel occasions within his life, relying on flashbacks as well as flash forwards to provide context.

In doing so, director Philippe Falardeau presents a nuanced portrayal of Alain by delving into childhood traumas and behaviours. Piece by piece the audience learns of Alain’s intestinal problems that took centre stage in his life but would be addressed behind closed doors, as his father never wanted to face the issue. His parents would also engage in heated arguments in his presence, and his own friendships were subject to rivalries. Falardeau cleverly plants these fragments within Alain’s consciousness over the course of his wedding day, where there is the threat of him not arriving at the wedding on time as he is plagued with these inner doubts.

Falardeau, however, is not content with merely showcasing the dangers of self-medication for anxiety and other medical issues. The film also tackles the pressure faced by Lebanese migrants to Canada. Alain’s divorced parents, played by renowned Lebanese actors Georges Khabbaz and Hiam Abou Chedid, present that aspect of assimilation as they strove for a better life in Canada and therefore ignored various cultural aspects to integrate seamlessly. In a film of this nature, such family secrets inevitably overspill on Alain’s wedding day in an absurdist manner. The differences between the Quebecois and the Lebanese descendants are casually referenced, forming the subject of humorous jokes, but warranted more screen time to flesh out that dichotomy.

The clash of cultures during the wedding reception does, however, produce claustrophobic moments for Alain and the audience too. Falardeau’s deliberate use of a square aspect ratio for scenes of Alain’s present results in a pressure-cooker environment from which audiences too may wish to escape. Those scenes’ heightened anxiety may draw inevitable comparisons to nerve-wracking performances in Shiva Baby and Uncut Gems, and Elias rises to the occasion in depicting Alain’s angst perfectly.

Despite all of this tension for Alain, audiences may not warm to him completely as the flashbacks demonstrate his propensity to be unpleasant during highly stressed moments. Adding to these tensions is the backdrop of a residential Montreal, which in moments resembles scenes from a Middle Eastern location with low flying planes and a gritty, urban ambience. All of which is juxtaposed with the stark white construct of Alain’s wedding venue, the choice of which also adds to the consternation amongst the melee of guests.

Lovely Day has an intriguing premise, and being loosely based on the life of co-writer Alain Farah adds a layer of substance that might otherwise be lacking during the light-hearted moments. Equally charming but slapstick, audiences will be captivated by the strong chemistry between Khabbaz and Abou Chedid as the parents, who work well with Elias to provide a refreshing dynamic. Unusually for a wedding film, the bride is not the central character, but Rose-Marie Perreault’s grounded presence as Virginie is felt to counter Alain’s overly dramatic nature. The friendly banter with Alain’s best man and cousin Édouard will also engage audiences with the hidden layers of complexity surrounding their friendship.

Overall, the film may present a simple premise but also has a tendency to be overstuffed by introducing many side themes. Still, Lovely Day is an amusing portrayal of a day in the life of a groom.