Robbie Hart is a wedding singer in 1985 Ridgefield, New Jersey. He is engaged to Linda, a woman who once loved his ambition of becoming a rock star. He performs at receptions, takes bookings, and plays the same songs night after night. Then he gets dumped on the day of his own wedding, and the movie that follows is a comedy about humiliation, depression, and the slow realization that the woman you keep seeing at other weddings might be the one you should have married instead.
“The Wedding Singer” is a 1998 romantic comedy directed by Frank Coraci, written by Tim Herlihy, and starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. It is a film about getting over a breakup by falling in love with someone else, and it does that with a soundtrack full of 1980s pop hits, a cast of characters who know exactly what they want, and a lead performance from Sandler that turns a broken man into a kind of lovable mess. The film was released on February 13, 1998, by New Line Cinema.
Trailer, via Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Robbie’s Abandonment
Robbie prepares himself for his marriage to Linda at the beginning of the film, feeling nervous, excited, and somewhat afraid of commitment. Just prior to the ceremony, his older sister Kate informs him that Linda has chosen not to marry him. This rejection humbles Robbie and leaves him emotionally broken. Later, Linda offers an explanation, saying she was drawn to his earlier ambition of becoming a rock star, and that she does not wish to be married to a wedding singer.
Robbie falls into severe depression, troubling everyone close to him. His best friend Sammy urges him back to work, yet Robbie performs poorly and pushes away wedding guests. He resolves to stop accepting wedding bookings and pulls back his promise to sing for Julia after Glenn finally settles on a wedding date. Julia then asks Robbie to assist with wedding planning, and their friendship grows closer.
Julia and Glenn
A waitress named Julia Sullivan meets Robbie at the reception hall where he performs. She is engaged to Glenn Gulia, a businessman and bond investor who has not yet set a date for their wedding. When Robbie agrees to sing at Julia’s wedding, the film establishes a simple premise: a man who was abandoned on his own wedding day helps plan the wedding of a woman who is about to marry someone else.
Robbie and Julia find themselves torn over their growing bond, while Holly, Julia’s cousin, takes an interest in Robbie and requests permission from Julia to court him. On a double date with Julia and Glenn, Robbie discovers that Glenn has cheated on numerous occasions and plans to keep doing so even after marriage. Holly later proposes that Julia is picking Glenn because of financial stability, which prompts Robbie to try improving his own standing by hunting for a bank job. He fails to land one, and when Julia hears of his sudden preoccupation with money, she feels let down. The argument follows, with Robbie accusing her of being driven by the same worries about finances.
The Cast
The lead role belongs to Adam Sandler as Robbie Hart, who anchors the film as a man whose work is shaped entirely by the happiness of others. Sandler portrays Robbie as a performer who thrives before an audience yet suffers in solitude, having constructed his existence around singing for strangers until he suddenly finds himself singing for no one. The performance carries warmth, humor, and sorrow in roughly equal portions.
Robbie finds his footing again because of Julia Sullivan, the waitress who looks beyond his failures and sees his true heart. Drew Barrymore plays her with a grounded, open quality, a woman who knows what she wants and is willing to wait for it.
Christine Taylor plays Holly Sullivan, Julia’s cousin. She is the one who asks Julia for permission to date Robbie, and her presence creates a triangle that the film never fully resolves. Taylor’s Holly is a comic presence, a cousin who knows the family business and is not afraid to use it.
Allen Covert plays Sammy, Robbie’s best friend. He is the one who persuades Robbie to return to work after the abandonment, and he is the one who admits he is unhappy with his own pattern of casual relationships. Covert’s Sammy is a loyal friend, a man who has spent years helping Robbie through bad days and worse nights.
Matthew Glave plays Glenn Gulia, Julia’s fiancé. He is a businessman and bond investor who cheats repeatedly and plans to continue doing so after marriage. Glave’s Glenn is a man who uses women for sex and money without ever changing.
Ellen Albertini Dow plays Rosie, and Angela Featherstone plays Linda. Christina Pickles plays Angie Sullivan, Julia’s mother. Jodi Thelen plays Kate, Robbie’s older sister. Frank Sivero plays Andy, and Patrick McTavish plays Tyler.
The Cameos
The film is full of small roles that add texture to the world of 1985 Ridgefield. Michael Shuman appears as the Bar Mitzvah boy. Steven Brill appears as Glenn’s buddy. Timothy P. Herlihy appears as Rudy, a bartender. Shanna Moakler appears as a flight attendant. Steve Buscemi appears as David Veltri, Jon Lovitz appears as Jimmie Moore, and Brian Posehn appears as Man at Dining Table #9. Chauntal Lewis appears as Stuck-Up Girl at Bar Mitzvah.
The brief appearances by familiar faces give pleasure to those who follow the industry closely. They do nothing to advance the plot, yet they enrich the setting around it.
The Musical Numbers
A number of musical interludes are woven into the film, moments when the performers suddenly break into song and dance. Each of these sequences is choreographed with vigor, and they stand out as the most memorable stretches of the picture. These songs allow the cast to demonstrate their broader abilities, while also lending the narrative a cadence that plain conversation alone could not provide.
The Stage Musical
A stage musical version of the film premiered on Broadway in April 2006, and ran until New Year’s Eve of that same year. In the episode of The Goldbergs titled after the movie, Jon Lovitz plays Jimmie Moore again, set against the backdrop of The Wedding Singer. Sandler, Barrymore and Billy Idol show up via old footage. The film pairs Sandler and Barrymore for their first joint effort, and it is followed by 50 First Dates and Blended (the latter also directed by Coraci).
The Verdict
“The Wedding Singer” is a comedy about disappointment, about the way a man who thought he had everything loses it and then finds something better. It is a film about the value of second chances, about the idea that the person you are supposed to be with might not be the person you expected.
Not every joke hits its mark, and the plot travels well-trodden ground with little to surprise the viewer. Yet the cast carries the weight, particularly Sandler’s Robbie, who manages to be both pathetic and admirable at once. The soundtrack adds warmth, and the story closes on a satisfying note.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director | Frank Coraci |
| Writer | Tim Herlihy |
| Lead actors | Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore |
| Release date | February 13, 1998 |
| Runtime | 97 minutes |
- Title: The Wedding Singer
- Year: 1998
- Director: Frank Coraci
- Writer: Tim Herlihy
- Lead actors: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore
- Release date: February 13, 1998
- Runtime: 97 minutes
This movie is a comfort comedy, a film that recognizes laughing at your own pain can make you feel better. It is not a masterpiece, but it is a pleasant one, confident about what it wants to be and delivering it with assurance.
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