Anna Kendrick and Fellow Misfits Band Together in Wedding Comedy ‘Table 19’

Sandra Miska

Everyone knows that a wedding is a blessed event for the bride, groom, and those nearest and dearest to the happy couple, but what about everyone else? The comedy “Table 19” shows a wedding reception through the eyes of the least desirable people on the guest list. Anna Kendrick stars as Eloise McGarry, the oldest friend of the bride, Francie Millner (Rya Meyers), who has been booted from her spot as the maid-of-honor after being unceremoniously dumped via text by Teddy (Wyatt Russell), the best man and brother of the bride.

After some deliberation, Eloise puts on a brave face and takes her seat at table 19 alongside the other misfit toys: former nanny Jo (June Squibb), married couple Jerry (Craig Robinson) and Bina (Lisa Kudrow), who are loosely connected to the groom’s father through work; the bride’s cousin Walter (Stephen Merchant), who has just been released from prison; and teen Renzo (Tony Revolori), the son of family friends who has hopes of losing his virginity that evening. Everybody seems to be getting along until Eloise, bitter from having to watch her ex rub up against his new girlfriend (Amanda Crew), whom her tacky friend also picked as the replacement maid of honor, drops a rude awakening – table 19 is reserved for the guests that no one really wanted there.

At first “Table 19” treads traditional rom-com territory by having Eloise be swept off her feet by another guest, mysterious and handsome Aussie Huck (Thomas Cocquerel). However, he quickly disappears for reasons that are later revealed, leaving the unhappy young woman to take her seat among the other undesirables. Things take a turn after one of her tablemate’s figures out a secret that she is hiding. After an unfortunate incident involving Teddy and the wedding cake, the gang retreats for some quality bonding, during which all of their respective secrets come to light.

Written by the indefatigable Duplass brothers, Jay and Mark, “Table 19” manages to be touching without being hokey with its theme, “We’re all in this together.” Certain characters eventually come to realize that they have misjudged others and there’s an important lesson about thinking the worst of others.

Overall, the cast is pretty amusing, especially the quirky Kendrick. Merchant, however, doesn’t give his comedy chops the best workout here, as he is playing a character who has something to hide, while he is at his most charming portraying the type of character who exudes awkwardness by being himself and over-sharing. Rounding out the cast is Margo Martindale as Renzo’s mother, who never appears onscreen, but nevertheless gives her son a bunch of cringe-worthy advice on how to get laid. Becky Ann Baker doesn’t flinch from making a spectacle of herself as the happily divorced mother of the bride, who in one memorable scene grabs the microphone and belts out a tune to the horror of all onlookers.

“Table 19” opens nationwide March 3.