If you would boycott Wonder Woman because the star is from Israel, then don’t read any further because The Wedding Plan is not for you. The film appears to be part of the Orthodox Jewish dramedy genre, which I recently discovered when I watched The Women’s Balcony. Another friend raved about this film so I decided to give it a shot. A single woman’s fiancé dumps her, but she has faith that God will provide so she proceeds with the preparations.
The Wedding Plan has to walk a tightrope not to lose viewers. The main character, Michal, must seem sincere in her faith and not seem like she is treating God like Santa Claus. On the other hand, she can’t seem so desperate for any man and undiscerning that she seems crazy and would not make a good wife. The reason that the whole plot does not fall apart like an improperly prepared soufflé is because of Noa Koler, who plays Michal.
I don’t know if any other actor could pull off this role. Koler wisely chooses to take a mournful, trembling approach to the role, not a zany, off beat, broad comedic take. She imbues her character with enough gravity that her actions really seem like an act of devotion, not a desperate scheme. Koler looks a bit like Lucy Lawless and Debra Messing so that will give you an idea of another reason that she is right for the role. Other characters remark on her character’s intensity, and she nails it without seeming insane. Michal knows how it looks, and the stakes are high because of what it means for her relationship with God first then how she looks to the people who are trying to support her decision.
Because I am not an Israeli Orthodox Jew, if there were narrative clues that made The Wedding Plan predictable or guided the viewer in the right direction, they probably got lost in translation because of language, cultural, national and religious differences. As I watched certain things transpire, I understood what was going on afterwards, but as it was happening, I was clueless. For example, why is she suddenly in another country in that particular place? Why is she kneading dough? Why is she taking a bath while her friends are at her place—couldn’t she do it before they arrived?
I actually guessed early on who the lucky guy could possibly be, but as The Wedding Plan unfolded, I doubted myself. There is a scene when she is on a date, and the guy pulls a similar move on her, and she is responsive, but he is not as sincere as her so there is no meeting of the minds. Later on when a different guy reciprocates and acts as she did on the earlier date, I seriously did not understand why she was right for acting like the first guy, but the first guy was wrong. I wanted the full translation of that third wheel date. It does NOT go without saying. I need all the tea! There is an Orthodox guy with a great deep voice who claims that he is famous, but Michal does not recognize him. Is he famous? Does everyone know who he is, and it is a cameo? I actually want to know if I missed something or if intended audiences had information that made certain plot twists clear.
Rama Burshtein, the writer and director of The Wedding Plan, also begins and ends scenes in unconventional ways that are reminiscent of Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, which was released subsequent to this film. I am NOT saying that Gerwig or Burshtein could have influenced each other since The Wedding Plan did not appear in my neck of the woods until earlier this year even though it was released in Israel on October 27, 2016 and a handful of film festivals around that period. I do think that it is awesome that now that more women are directing films, scenes are structured in innovative ways that were counterintuitive until now.
Burshstein uses the camera like an eye. It blinks for long periods of time as if to steady itself from a psychological staggering moment that shakes the character. At times, The Wedding Plan seems oneiric, and it is unclear whether what is unfolding on the screen is a dream or real. There is a scene when Michal sees her roommate praying fervently in a dark room, and only later on do we discover why. These visual cues keep the viewers grounded into never mistaking the film for a Hollywood rom com, but a textured independent film.
The Wedding Plan has subtitles so it is not for everyone, but I think that it is an easier way of introducing yourself to the Orthodox Jewish dramedy genre if you are curious about it and want entertainment without feeling vaguely exploited by a commercial formula. Side note: Amos Tamam who plays Shimi is hot y’all.