To appease their moms, a pair of Indian American entrepreneurs pretend at romance over a spate of nuptials in this soulless romantic comedy on Netflix.
The jejune romantic comedy “Wedding Season” marries elements from a couple of recent entries to the genre: “Plus One” and “7 Days.” The former mirrors the framing device of a flurry of nuptials; the latter, the cultural details specific to Indian diaspora families. While neither likely informed the creation of this Netflix trifle directed by Tom Dey (“Failure to Launch”), these narrative echoes in tandem with a host of other clichés give the impression that the movie was composed by a trends-tracking algorithm.
The story begins when two mothers, impatient for their grown children to find mates, stage coups over their online dating profiles. The stunt results in an encounter between Asha (Pallavi Sharda), a workaholic microfinance entrepreneur, and Ravi (Suraj Sharma), a renowned dance music D.J. The pair initially clash, but pledge to simulate romance during a spate of summer weddings to get the Indian aunties off their backs.
Bland montages trace the arc of these reluctant suitors, and although Sharda and Sharma are appealing performers, their relations lack surprise and soul. Against the arid backdrop of their growing attraction, what stands out is a peculiar focus on cash flow; for a movie that often waves logistics aside — how these practical strangers collected invites to scores of the same ceremonies, for instance — there’s a deluge of dialogue surrounding the particulars of Asha and Ravi’s finances. “Wedding Season” is mostly flavorless, but its interest in capitalistic success inspires a pucker of bad taste.
Wedding Season
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 38 minutes. Watch on Netflix.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
