The first "Father of the Bride" film made us hold our sides in both laughter and tears, meshing Steve Martin's great comedic "Dad" character with the emotions of marrying off his "only" (to that point!) daughter. However, when viewing the sequel to this great film, I was cautious...too often, sequels play for exactly the same type of laughs as the original (think "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls") and thus fail to deliver like their predecessor. Thankfully, "Father of the Bride II" does not fall into this trap.With daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams, who ratchets up her acting skills in this film compared to the first) announcing she is pregnant, father George (Martin) grapples with the conflicting emotions of becoming a grandfather. Further complicating things (and adding a bit of hilarity!) is the rather unexpected pregnancy of George's wife Nina (Diane Keaton). Thus, while coming to terms with his new identity, George also must deal with two pregnant women!Not only is this film filled with comedic genius, though, but it also delivers just as many (if not more) touching emotional moments. Whereas the first film captured George's equal parts happiness and sadness at seeing his daughter leave, this movie proves to be just as potent regarding George's identity crisis. With his whole life in flux (the comedic portion of the film), George begins to remember what really matters in the first place: family.Overall, this film is just as good as the original. The combination of genuine emotion and smart (not crude) humor is a welcome balance and counterpoint to other Hollywood fare. Let's just say that if a "Grandfather of the Bride" were in the works, I would be first in line.

'Father of the bride' was a good film and probably didn't need a sequel. But this is Hollywood, everything needs a sequel.While it is clear that a lot of effort has gone into making this sequel work, the central idea stretches credibility and every idea the writer had seems to have been thrown at the wall in a desperate attempt to get laughs. There are moments that remind you of the heart and humour that the preceding film had, but it's a load of nothing really. I went into this film dubious about how good it could be, and I didn't finish watching it any more convinced that the original needed a sequel.

George Banks must accept the reality of what his daughter's ascension from daughter to wife, and now, to mother means when placed into perspective against his own stage of life.As the family unit starts to unravel in his mind, a rapid progression into mid-life crisis is in his future.His journey to regain his youth acts as a trigger for a kind of resurrection of his attitude on life when he and his wife find how their lives are about to change as well.....The first movie was a huge hit, so a sequel was inevitable because at the time, Hollywood had a penchant for greenlighting sequels to sleeper hits. See also, Waynes World, Beethoven, and Sister Act.And thankfully, along with WW2, this is one of the better blatant cash ins.If you enjoyed the first movie, you will enjoy this, because Meyers has gone for the old 'If it ain't broke' way of filming, more of the same.There are references to the first film, The Dogs not liking George, the over emotional Father In Law, and of course Frank, the clown of the movie, used to even better effect than in the first.It's all been done before, but it's still a nice little film for all the family.

Both the first movie and this sequel are fantastic. I loved the first movie, so I thought I would give the second one a shot, and I was pleasantly surprised!! The acting from all the characters is amazing, from Steve Martin to Diane Keaton to Kimberly Williams-Paisley. 16 years after its release this movie is still a gem. When I'm feeling down or just need a go-to comedy for a night in, these two movies are the best. For those who say that a 40-something woman is too old to have a baby--that's just not true. Do your research. I bet more people have been in that situation than you think.Anyway, this is a feel-good movie for some great laughs and a few happy tears!