“First that runt steals my daughter, and now he makes a grandpa out of me.” —George Banks
Today’s quick review: Father of the Bride Part II. George Banks (Steve Martin) is growing old. His daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams) and her husband Bryan (George Newbern) are expecting a child, his son Matt (Kieran Culkin) is growing up, and George is even considering selling the family home. But life throws him a curveball when his wife Nina (Diane Keaton) finds out that she’s pregnant too.
Father of the Bride Part II is a comedy about a grandfather-to-be and his pregnant daughter and wife. Steve Martin reprises his role as George Banks, whose high-strung personality fares little better with the news that his daughter is pregnant than it did with the news she was getting married. The movie revolves around the many simultaneous changes in the Banks family, pulling George this way and that as he tries to cope with two pregnancies.
Father of the Bride Part II has the same style of humor as the first movie. George undergoes a crisis as his age creeps up on him, but he soon settles down to the task at hand: making sure Annie and Nina are taken care of. Familial chaos, a flustered lead, and the ups and downs of pregnancy are the movie’s main sources of comedy. While none of the jokes are groundbreaking, they are enough to make the movie a light, pleasant watch.
However, Father of the Bride Part II has a few quirks that hold it back. Compared to the previous movie, the story relies more on contrivances, rather than playing up an ordinary life event like marriage. Two pregnancies, a move, and a menagerie of self-destructive choices by George all contribute to a movie that feels a little too scripted. Meanwhile, the father-daughter relationship of the first film takes a back seat to George’s marriage.
Father of the Bride Part II is a decent pick for fans of family-oriented comedies. Its humor never goes beyond just being amusing, but the script finds an easy rhythm, and Steve Martin’s performance earns a few laughs. Viewers with the right taste and modest expectations will enjoy the movie for what it is. Fans of more incisive comedy and more organic stories will want to steer clear.
[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113041/). I give it a 6.5 for consistent humor and a fun but far-fetched story.