"Out At The Wedding is a delightful, funny film, filled with amusing and engaging performances. It's a perfect summer date movie." - Suzanne Corson, After Ellen.com

"You don't have to be queer to enjoy Out at the Wedding, a swirling Manhattan farce directed by Lee Friedlander (The 10 Rules)." -- Michael Fox, KQED Arts and Culture: Movies, Jun 14, 2007, Festival Report : Frameline 31: Searching for gems at the SF Int'l LGBT FF

"NewFest was excited to offer NYC audiences an opportunity to see Lee Friedlander’s screwball comedy Out at the Wedding – and we were amazed by the universally enthusiastic response the film received. Comedy’s not always the easiest thing to pull off, but Out at the Wedding made it look simple – and earned the film our Audience Award!" -- Basil Tsiokos, Artistic Director, NewFest: The New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival

"Out At The Wedding scored very well in the golden space needle voting, a
4 out of 5 possible! The audience reaction was terrific, and both screenings felt very successful. The film is a great light hearted romp, and we were very happy to have hosted the World Premiere." -- Beth Barrett, Programming Manager, Seattle International Film Festival

Out at the Wedding
Rating: Excellent
"Comedy films produced with LGBT audiences in mind are usually full of tired plots, old stale jokes, lots of bathroom humor, and sex gags which try to appeal to the lowest common denominator. One of the reasons that this refreshing new comedy feature directed by Lee Friedlander is must see film is the clever creativity that represents a significant jump forward to a higher level in the quality of situational comedy with Gay characters. What makes this production even more worthwhile is a plot that centers on the concept of sexual orientation and identity, yet it is not really a “Gay” film. It can play well in Middle America without offending heterosexuals or LGBT people. While there is one stereotypical Gay character (Jonathon) central to the plot (which is performed with amazing realism by heterosexual actor Charlie Schlatter), this hysterical comedy written by Paula Goldberg is a rare gem.

The story centers on Alex (Andrea Marcellus) a New York City woman originally from the Deep South, who has fallen in love with Dana (Mystro Clark), a bi-racial Jewish airline pilot whose mother is hysterically portrayed by noted John Water’s regular Mink Stole. Afraid of her family’s response to her interracial fiancé she tells Dana and his parents that her family is dead. When attending her sisters wedding an old drunk friend asks Jonathon why he and Alex are not yet married and is left with the idea that Alex is a Lesbian. Soon the entire wedding is abuzz with this gossip creating a major uproar and a huge false impression by everyone especially newlywed sister Jeannie.

As a result Alex’s lies have compounded to the point that she will have to pretend to be a Lesbian to maintain her relationship with Jeannie who is coming to visit. Alex needs someone to fill the role of her fictional lover Dana; soon Risa, an athletic Lesbian contractor (portrayed by the stunningly beautiful Cathy DeBuono in her first feature film appearance) with a mesmerizing face and deep piercing eyes is hired by Alex to play the role. Unfortunately for Alex, when Jeannie meets Risa things don’t turn out quite the way she planned, the result is a comedy of errors and nonstop laughter of the highest magnitude. DeBuono really shines with her fantastic and impressive screen performance as the love starved Jewish Lesbian.

This situational comedy of lies by a wacky woman is a marvelous and clever romp that is certainly shouldn’t be missed. Expected to be released in the fall – watch for it. It is one of the funniest films of SIFF 2007." -- Seattle Gay News