Cheerful Weather

I find it positively remarkable how a shift in climate can utterly change a person's mood. I find it not strange at all that films use weather and likewise color schemes to convey the mood the climate brings. Summer seasons usually convey warm tones, a cheerful mood, the desire to go and be adventurous, a lightness to one's disposition. In contrast, winter seasons usually transmit a gloominess, a dreariness, sadness, cool tones, a rather apathetic mindset, a disparagingly depressing outlook on life, and a blatant frigidness to composure. This is perhaps the most striking feature of Cheerful Weather for the Wedding. 

I stumbled across this film by perusing through pre-ordered films on iTunes. The trailer intrigued me, enticing me with its mystery surrounding a conflicted bride possibly marrying the wrong man. I'm a romantic, so this immediately drew me in. The plot line has to the major aspect that I wish to watch a film, but the edge of the film, the way the mood and emotion is splattered across the scene sealed the deal. There are few movies that I tell myself I need to see, but this was one I really needed to see. I was quite disappointed that the film gained poor reviews due to a lack of superior dialogue, slow plot, and overall theme. I understood that it's a British film, so the audience may not necessarily be garnered towards American viewers, so I was rather ambivalent. Ten minutes in the movie, I was already pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. It had a way of drawing on nostalgia and possible do-overs in life that makes the viewers wonder what choice the protagonist will take. This is the major emotional involvement throughout the film: marry a suitable bachelor that fits everything her mother had pictured for her life or run away with the man she truly loves. I assure you, it's not quite as cliche as it sounds.

Refraining from spoiling the plot, I must say that the main plot takes place in one day during the winter with various flashbacks taking place the past summer. I must take this time to point out the aesthetics and cinematography. The color scheme between the two seasons is so obvious that it's done in an exceptionally tasteful manner. Winter is cool blues, whites, dark pastels, and solid prints, whereas summer is bright greens, warm yellows, reds, and floral prints. Winter is seen as gloomy, cold, sad, and mundane. Summer, however, is perceived as an adventurous, exciting, frivolous, exciting, and fun. Even the costumes and dispositions differentiate between the seasons as well. Winter has subdued hues, restrained affection, and restrained. Summer is all about bright pops of color, poignant emotion, and a profound sense of liberty. As the film in set in 1930s England, the costumes were remarkable. Winter fashion surrounds around posh, classy, lush and delicate details, soft features, and a sublime touch of minimalism. Summer vogue consists of fun prints, light materials, bold designs, and lax posh comportment. The aesthetics is done so tastefully, mastered in such a subtle manner, that it appears intentional but so obvious that it's overlooked. This film has captured my heart and has easily become one of my favorite movies. Perhaps it's that, coupled with Felicity Jones as the female protagonist (from Like Crazy) and Luke Treadaway as the man whom she loves. Two superb actors putting a remarkable portrayal of love and heartache. If that's not enough, Elizabeth McGovern from Downton Abbey stars as Felicity's mother.