5.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Here Comes the Groom remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're looking for a tight, logical comedy, keep walking. Here Comes the Groom is basically a collection of bizarre choices glued together by a guy who really needs to find a better hobby than piccolo playing.
Is it worth your time? If you have a soft spot for movies that stumble into their own plot holes with a grin, sure. If you want a story that makes sense, you're gonna hate this one.
It’s got that specific mid-century frantic energy where everyone is talking way too fast and nobody is actually listening to anyone else. It reminded me a bit of the chaos in The Hot Heiress, though this one has way more masks.
Mike Scanlon is the lead, and honestly, playing the piccolo is a bold choice for a protagonist. It’s hard to make that cool, and the movie doesn’t really try. He just seems like a guy who’s tired of being the butt of the joke.
The robbery scene is where the whole thing falls apart, but in a way that’s actually kinda fun to watch. Everything goes wrong, and suddenly we’re in a chase movie. The pacing is all over the place. One minute he’s failing at life, the next he’s a masked celebrity.
There’s a moment about halfway through where I realized I hadn't thought about the piccolo in twenty minutes. The movie just completely abandons its own setup. It’s weirdly refreshing, like when The Birthday decides to take a hard turn into absurdity.
The performances? Well, they’re loud. Jack Haley is in there, and he’s doing his best to keep the energy up, even when the script is clearly running on fumes. There's a scene near the end that lingers for about thirty seconds too long, and you can practically see the actors wondering if they can go home yet.
It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not even a particularly good movie. But it’s got a weird, frantic pulse to it that I found kinda charming. It’s one of those films that just exists, and that's okay. 🎭
