The Wedding Guest (2018 film)

The Wedding Guest
The Wedding Guest
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Michael Winterbottom
Screenplay by	Michael Winterbottom
Produced by	Dev Patel; Michael Winterbottom; Deepak Nayar; Nik Bower; Melissa Parmenter;
Starring	Dev Patel; Radhika Apte; Jim Sarbh
Cinematography	Giles Nuttgens
Edited by	Marc Richardson
Music by	Harry Escott
Production; companies	Ingenious Media; Riverstone Pictures; Stage 6 Films; Revolution Films;
Distributed by	IFC Films
Release dates	September 8, 2018 (Toronto); March 1, 2019 (United States);
Running time	96 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom; United States;
Language	English
Box office	$386,166

The Wedding Guest is a 2018 British-American action-thriller film written and directed by Michael Winterbottom. It stars Dev Patel, Radhika Apte and Jim Sarbh.

It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2018. It was released in the United States on March 1, 2019, by IFC Films.

Plot[]

Aasif, who is British, is hired to kidnap a woman at her wedding in Pakistan. Once in Pakistan, he travels to Younganabad, switching car rentals and buying equipment he'll need. He scouts the town including the family home in which the wedding party are staying. Later that night, he sneaks into the house and kidnaps the bride, Samira, at gunpoint. He tapes her mouth, secures her hands with zip-ties and covers her head. As he leads her from the house, a guard witnesses the kidnapping and tries to intervene. Aasif shoots him dead. He places Samira in the trunk of his car and flees the scene.

Aasif eventually removes the duct tape from Samira’s mouth and explains why he kidnapped her. Samira was expecting Aasif because she was in an arranged marriage and in love with another man, Deepesh, who hired Aasif. Aasif gives Samira the choice to continue to Lahore and meet Deepesh or return to her family and the marriage. Samira chooses to continue to Lahore. Samira asks Aasif to uncover her head and untie her hands, which he does.

They drive to Amritsar. Aasif purchases phones and SIM cards and attempts to reach Deepesh. Samira tells Aasif the number he has for Deepesh is his UK phone and that he has a local number. Deepesh tells Aasif that he is not at the rendezvous in Amritsar and is in London and that he will be in India the following day.

The kidnapping and killing makes the news causing Deepesh to change his mind about bringing Samira. In New Delhi, Deepesh tells Aasif to bring Samira back. Aasif agrees but tells Deepesh he will need a further £20,000. Aasif tells Samira about this. She tells Aasif that she does not want to go and instead wants to see Deepesh.

In Jaipur, Aasif meets Deepesh, who gives him half the money he asked for. Deepesh tells Aasif he will have the other half once the job is complete. Aasif tells him that he needs all of his money. Deepesh tells Aasif that he can have it the next day. Aasif tells Deepesh to go to a hotel where he and Samira will meet him.

Deepesh collects Aasif and Samira, and they go to the hotel. Samira asks if she and Deepesh can speak in private. Aasif agrees and tells Deepesh to pull over so he can get out. He continues driving until Aasif pulls his pistol. Aasif demands the rest of his money, then exits the car. Aasif hears Deepesh and Samira arguing and sees Deepesh hit Samira. Aasif drags Deepesh out. The pair fight. Aasif turns his back to check on Samira and Deepesh attacks him with a rock. Aasif grabs the rock and kills Deepesh.

Samira starts the SUV and calls Aasif. She asks if she can trust him to which he replies no, but she chooses to offer him a deal. She and Deepesh intended to sell diamonds stolen from his family - forged replacements for which had been left in their place. She offers to split the jewels with Aasif and he agrees.

Aasif leaves to get gas and supplies to dispose of the body. He returns and incinerates Deepesh's body, and the pair head to the hotel with Aasif assuming Deepesh's identity. They create a tale that they are travelling to Nepal. They sell the SUV to a fence who puts them in touch with a buyer for the jewels. The jeweller refuses to handle the sale because the value of one stone exceeds $100,000.

They head for Goa and rent a house, becoming involved. One morning Aasif wakes to find Samira gone. She calls him to tell him she is sorry but that while she can not, he can go home because no one knows who he is. Samira tells Aasif she will miss him. Samira cuts off the call after Aasif tells her that if she needs anything she can call. Samira rides a bus while Aasif sits alone.

Cast[]

Dev Patel as Aasif
Radhika Apte as Samira
Jim Sarbh as Deepesh

In addition, Harish Khanna plays Nitin, who provides Jay with forged documents in Jaipur.

Production[]

In November 2017, it was announced Dev Patel had joined the cast of the film, with Michael Winterbottom directing from a screenplay he wrote.^[2]

Release[]

It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2018.^[3] Shortly after, IFC Films acquired distribution rights to the film.^[4] It was released in the United States on March 1, 2019.^[5]

Reception[]

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 44% based on 73 reviews, with an average rating of 5.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Wedding Guest makes a compelling argument for Dev Patel as an actor worthy of diverse leading roles, even if the movie's less than the sum of its action thriller parts."^[6] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".^[7]