Don’t stop the press. It’s just Netflix coming out with another unoriginal rom-com, this time starring Brooke Shields and Miranda Cosgrove. ‘Mother of the Bride’, which comes from Mean Girls director Mark Waters, tries to offer a unique premise where first love is given a second chance. But the film’s characters, setting and narrative lack depth as it telegraphs its ending from the start.

Mother of the Bride deviates significantly from the iconic 2004 film, ‘Father of the Bride’, as it centres on the wedding of Emma (Cosgrove) and RJ (Sean Teale) in the exotic locale of Phuket, Thailand. The tranquility surrounding Dr Lana Winslow (Shields) is shattered when she discovers that RJ’s father is her long-lost college flame Will (Benjamin Bratt), who abruptly disappeared from her life. As tensions mount and old wounds resurface, Lana and Will navigate their complicated past while attempting to maintain peace for their children’s sake.

At first glance, ‘Mother of the Bride’ presents intriguing character dynamics. Lana is depicted as a dedicated research scientist, deeply immersed in her work. In stark contrast, her daughter Emma emerges as a social media influencer, leveraging her online presence to secure extravagant sponsorships for her wedding. Emma lets a luxury resort brand dictate every detail of the wedding, much to Lana’s disapproval. However, these promising conflicts fizzle out with underwhelming resolutions, leaving the characters underdeveloped and the film’s potential unfulfilled.