Claude and Marie Verneuil are a Catholic couple from Chinon, and their four daughters have married men from different backgrounds entirely. Rashid Ben Assem is Algerian Muslim. David Benichou is a Sephardi Jew. Chao Ling is Han Chinese. And their youngest daughter Laure has picked a Catholic partner, a comedian named Charles, who turns out to be from the Ivory Coast.
That’s the setup for Serial (Bad) Weddings, and it’s also the whole joke. Directed by Philippe de Chauveron, with a script he co-wrote with Guy Laurent, the film wants to play with the tension between tradition and acceptance, and it leans hard on broad comedy to get there.
Trailer, via The Vent.
The Verneuils’ Four Daughters
The Verneuils pretend to accept their sons-in-law while secretly struggling with their mixed heritage. A family meeting goes badly because everyone keeps saying things they shouldn’t. The Verneuils put all their hope in Laure bringing home a Catholic husband, arranging an accidental meeting with Xavier, a young Catholic financier. Instead, Laure announces she’s engaged to Charles, a Catholic, and her parents are thrilled — until they meet him and learn he’s black.
The Four Sons-In-Law
Rashid Ben Assem, played by Medi Sadoun, is a lawyer. David Benichou, played by Ary Abittan, is a businessman. Chao Ling, played by Frédéric Chau, is a banker. Charles Koffi, played by Noom Diawara, is a comedian and actor whose father André is played by Pascal N’Zonzi and whose mother Madeleine is played by Salimata Kamate.
The sons-in-law aren’t friends either. They plan to stop Laure’s marriage because they’re worried their fragile alliance will break apart with a fourth member. That’s a small but telling detail — the film isn’t just about the Verneuils, it’s about the men too.
The Verneuils’ Response
Claude sinks into depression after the shock. He spends his time cutting down trees and fishing. Marie is more flexible, and she gets along with Charles’s mother Madeleine. The film tracks the Verneuils’ slow shift from rejection to acceptance, though the path isn’t smooth.
What Works
The film moves fast and stays light on its feet. The casting helps — Christian Clavier and Chantal Lauby play the Verneuils with warmth, and the sons-in-law each get distinct moments. The jokes land more often than they miss.
What Doesn’t Work
The humor is predictable. The film repeats its points about race and religion without finding new ways to say them. Some scenes run long and feel padded. The ending feels rushed, tying everything off without giving the audience room to sit with the change.
Key Facts
- Title: Serial (Bad) Weddings
- Director: Philippe de Chauveron
- Writer: Philippe de Chauveron, Guy Laurent
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- Score: 6.7/10
Serial (Bad) Weddings is a pleasant comedy with a clear point to make. It doesn’t go anywhere deep, but it doesn’t need to. The cast sells the material, and the film knows exactly what it wants to be.
It’s a movie for a Sunday afternoon, not a weekend at the cinema.
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