It is indeed sad that this film failed to succeed where other, far less interesting, Australian films did.It is excellent. Beautiful script. A truly high end cast. Restrained direction. Thoroughly enjoyable, yet thought-provoking.I lay its commercial failure at the fact that it was neither "a rom com" nor "a weepy". It was promoted as a rom com and therefore failed when audiences didn't get what they expected. It does not deliver the "everything is wrapped up nicely at the end and you can walk out of the cinema and forget all about it" conclusion that audiences seem to demand – especially if they think it's a rom com.Like many good stories (and life itself), it is more complex than that. There are some incredibly funny and romantic moments. There is also real loss, bitterness and regret.So if you can handle some ambiguity and nuance, then this is a great film.Through a completely relatable story about two quite different romances it explores many themes about love, romance and the perception of happiness.Who is the "right one"? How would you know? Would you recognise "the right one" or would you still think something better is out there? What is it that makes us leave one love but stay with another? Is it purely how happy they make us? Is it timing? Is it something else? Is settling a compromise? Can one love really make us happy? The list goes one.But this is all explored through a film that is engaging, and with some great little moments of comedy to leaven the mix.I recommend it.Oh, one more thing regarding various posts about the title. The US title "The Wedding Party" is in my view far worse than the original one, because it implies just a fun filled romp, yet again setting up the wrong audience expectation.The original title is an ironic reference to the fact that everyone else clearly thinks the main character will be happy with his bride, Lizzie, and is glad that he has finally moved on from his last relationship.But will he be, and has he? That's the whole crux of the film: expectations of happiness (both our own and other people's for us) and whether they can be met.

Cherie Nowlan's directorial debut resulted in this curious movie, which is well worth seeing. It features two stories. The primary story involves Guy's (Richard Roxburgh) courtship and marriage to Lizzie (Cate Blanchett). The background story, told in flashback, features Guy's earlier passionate but tempestuous relationship with Jenny (Francis O'Connor).The movie, released in USA as "The Wedding Party", centres not so much on the wedding itself but on Guy's memories of his relationship with Jenny as various people and situations at the wedding party remind him of his adventures and misadventures with Jenny. The curiosity is that, because of the passionate relationship, the background story is actually more interesting than the primary story.The message, if indeed there was a message and I read it correctly, is that passionate but stormy relationships are exciting in the short term but can lose their impetus over time, whereas more stable relationships are likely to stand the test of time.Cherie Nowlan has delivered a classy production in her directorial debut. Why hasn't she done more? Richard Roxburgh, who is virtually on screen the entire movie and who therefore carries the plot, is well cast as a quiet, unassuming fellow who can be obstenate and even nasty when aggravated. His essentially nice guy role is a contrast to his villainous roles in movies such as "Doing Time for Patsy Cline" and "Moulin Rouge". Cate Blanchett's character is slightly superficial but her acting ability, which would the next year catapult her to international stardom and an Oscar nomination for "Elizabeth", is readily apparent. Francis O'Connor has the far juicier role of Jenny and handles it well. Jane Turner performs a nice comic turn in a minor role as the wedding party co-ordinator.There is a lot to like in this movie. Unfortunately its Australian title - "Thank God He Met Lizzie" - suggests a period piece and does not correctly portray the passion in Guy and Jenny's relationship. The USA title - "The Wedding Party" - similarly misses the mark because Guy and Jenny's relationship is the focal point of the movie - or, is, at least, the most interesting focus of the movie. Title aside, it's a movie worth seeing.

Guy meets Lizzie and in a mad rush they marry. During the wedding, Guy's memories float to the turbulent relationship with the other woman - Jenny. Alexandra Long's script delivers the goods but let down by poor quality production values. The other saviour comes from O'Conner's performance as the manic Jenny.

A very good portrayal of life. Regular life and the choices we make, and the normal looking back on it and wondering what if... excellent acting, plot and dialogue, true ending. We are all searching for something, and we are all looking in the wrong places: in our past and in our future. What about today? Is happiness something you feel or something you remember?