But with this most basic of premises, screenwriter Richard Curtis has crafted a moving and thoughtful comedy about the perils of singledom and that ever-elusive search for true love. In the wrong hands, it could have been a horribly schmaltzy affair, but Curtis' script--crammed with great one-liners and beautifully judged characterisations--keeps things sharp and snappy, harking back to the sparkling Hollywood romantic comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. The supporting cast, including Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow and Rowan Atkinson (who starred in the Curtis-scripted television show Blackadder) is first rate, at times almost too good--John Hannah's rendition of WH Auden's poem "Funeral Blues" over the coffin of his lover is so moving you think the film will struggle to re-establish its ineffably buoyant mood. But it does, thanks in no small part to Hugh Grant as the bumbling Charles (whose star-making performance compensates for a less-than-dazzling Andie MacDowell). Though it's hardly the fault of Curtis and his team, the success of the Four Weddings did have its downside, triggering a rash of inferior British romantic comedies. In fact, we had to wait until 1999's Notting Hill for another UK film to match its winning charm (scripted, again, by Curtis and also starring Grant). --Edward Lawrenson

Synopsis
Charles (Hugh Grant) is a confirmed British bachelor with a colourful romantic background who meets the perfect woman, Carrie (Andie MacDowell), at a friend's wedding. However, Charles's hopes of romance are dashed when Carrie announces she must return to America the next morning. The two continue to cross paths at other people's weddings, never finding each other at a time when both are single. As all of Charles's friends find love, he's left wondering if he will ever be the one going to the altar. With subtle and lighthearted storytelling, director Mike Newell makes viewers feel intimate with characters who are shown in their happiest and saddest moments. The talented, funny cast--including Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow, and Rowan Atkinson--portrays a very convincing group of friends in search of true love.

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