"Table 19" (2017): An Underrated Wedding Comedy

What if you came to the wedding for a different reason?

Table 19 walked down the aisle and into theaters in 2017. A group of misfits is placed together at the unpopular table at the wedding. The group tries to make the best of it, venturing off on their own travels and fixing dilemmas.

With all these underrated movies in the world, they’re starting to pile up in the museum of underrated gems. Table 19 is a heartwarming film about unexpected friendship. Wedding stories are always fun. It’s a celebration no matter what table you’re sitting at.

Character stories are always my favorite, and with wedding films, you get tables of characters with histories and several dynamics to play with. At table 19 sit six individuals, who believe they are the scrappies of the wedding, and find new meaning in their newfound friendship.

Pitch Perfect star Anna Kendrick plays Eloise, a young woman who burns her invitation as soon as she gets it, until she decides to go. In the last year, I have come around to Kendrick more. She is really funny and tries to play typecast roles differently.

Almost a decade before her rise as a leading actress in her 90s, June Squibb had been in several supporting roles. I loved Squibb’s performance as Jo. She’s snarky, pays more attention than you think, and Squibb is so natural in her performance.

Friends star Lisa Kudrow also joins the film with Craig Robinson. Bina and Jerry are trying to figure out their relationship. What better place to do that than a wedding? Walter (Stephen Merchant) and Renzo (Tony Revolori) are two awkward men who find more confidence in themselves.

This film is all about the group dynamic. The actors have rich chemistry. These characters came together for a reason. The group sticks together, even wandering into the same bathroom to help with the drama, or going off and getting high.

At the wedding, Eloise spends most of it yelling at her ex, Teddy (Wyatt Russell). Wyatt doesn’t play the typical ex. Teddy takes fault for his actions, knowing he is not perfect. Russell delivers a heartfelt and genuine monologue. More wedding guests include Amanda Crew, Thomas Cocquerel, Becky Ann Baker, Margo Martindale, and more.

This idea for Table 19 was inspired by Jay and Mark Duplass, who describe the film as The Breakfast Club, only with adults. They chose Jeffrey Blitz to direct the feature, who has directed episodes of The Office and Rocket Science (2007). The Duplass brothers chose Blitz because they felt he had a distinct voice.

Blitz always finds ways to keep the story moving, even having the group leave the wedding. Everything the group is warned not to do gets done anyway, like destroying the poor wedding cake. Something is always happening at a wedding to make it memorable.

One aspect that I like about these movies is the conversations. Characters have conversations about anything. They might sound random, but it’s to avoid the real conflict. There are a lot of funny scenes.

You never know what anyone is going through. This is a film about a friendship, reconnecting, and forgiving. Together, the group faces problems and makes the best of the day. We all know that love is a difficult world, but remember, showing up is 90% of love.

Table 19 is a sweet film with unexpected, deep moments. I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait to show it to friends. It deserves a watch instead of being hidden away in the underrated film archives. Find it streaming on HBO Max.