--- title: "The Wedding Singer" year: 1998 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-wedding-singer" fi1m_id: "the-wedding-singer" imdb_id: "tt0120888" tmdb_id: 11003 wikidata_id: "Q1133316" fi1m_score: 76 critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 9 published: "2026-09-24T04:04:47.943538+00:00" updated: "2026-09-24T04:04:48.350817+00:00" region: "LT" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Wedding Singer (1998) Directed by Frank Coraci · 1h 37m · Romance, Comedy ## Identity The Wedding Singer - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-wedding-singer - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** the-wedding-singer - **IMDb ID:** tt0120888 - **TMDB ID:** 11003 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1133316 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120888/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11003, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1133316 **Fi1m score: 76** · Critics 77 from 9 reviews *In a sentence:* A wedding singer worth rooting for, even when the jokes deserve a quiet word outside > Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore make this a warm, appealing romance, helped by a lively pop soundtrack. The middle drifts and the broad humour sometimes gets in their way, but we recommend it to anyone with a weakness for romantic comedy. ## Synopsis In 1985, Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler) is a would-be rock star working the wedding-band circuit. He makes a living entertaining wedding guests while his own musical ambitions go unfulfilled. His romantic story centres on Julia Sullivan (Drew Barrymore), with Holly Sullivan (Christine Taylor) and Sammy (Allen Covert) among the people around them. Weddings supply the setting and the decade’s pop songs accompany a singer caught between the work he can get and the life he wants for himself. ## Review Frank Coraci’s *The Wedding Singer* is a likeable romance with an uneven supply of jokes. Anyone coming chiefly for the comedy may feel a little short-changed, though there is enough affection here to compensate. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore give a simple courtship the warmth it needs to carry us through some ordinary writing. The film wants us to enjoy being with these people, and for most of its 97 minutes we do. Robbie Hart is a would-be rock star working the wedding-band circuit, where everyone else’s big day is another shift. It is a useful comic occupation, requiring cheerfulness regardless of how the person holding the microphone feels. Adam Sandler makes Robbie’s need to be liked affecting without asking us to mistake him for a saint. We were more touched than we expected by the gentleness of his performance; his eagerness to please gives Robbie something vulnerable beneath the comic business. The broader humour can obscure that quality, but it remains the reason to follow him. Drew Barrymore is equally important to the film’s appeal, giving Julia Sullivan a warmth that makes the attraction easy to believe. She has a relaxed presence, and the romance benefits from the sense that these two might enjoy an ordinary conversation. Tim Herlihy’s screenplay does not give their story many surprises, but it does give the actors a relationship we can accept. The trouble comes when the comic writing presses harder than the romance needs, leaving the performers to supply the tact. The 1980s setting provides plenty of amusement, although some of it amounts to congratulating us for recognising the decade. Perry Andelin Blake’s production design contributes to that cheerfully exaggerated nostalgia, which is enjoyable until it starts competing with the people. Tim Suhrstedt’s cinematography keeps the courtship looking approachable, an appropriate choice for a romance with such modest ambitions. The look suits the film, but the period jokes occasionally feel like a substitute for better writing. The pop soundtrack does more useful work, supplying energy and feeling without requiring another comic interruption. Teddy Castellucci’s music is less distinctive, though it fits the film’s straightforward emotional approach. A romance this modest does not need much help announcing what it wants us to feel. The songs are enjoyable company, and the film usually knows when to let that be enough. The slack middle is harder to excuse. Tom Lewis’s editing does not keep the courtship moving with the same assurance as the lighter comedy, and the story spends too long relying on goodwill already earned. The lowbrow jokes are uneven too; some have an amiable foolishness, while others interrupt a mood the actors have worked to establish. Nothing here ruins the romance, but enough of it could go for us to notice. As a romantic comedy, it has more interest in making its couple likeable than in testing the familiar formula. We can live with that when the attraction is this persuasive, though the film would benefit from trusting it more consistently. Its sweetness survives the weaker material without becoming exhausting. Choose it for an undemanding evening, with a tolerance for jokes that try a little too hard. *Fi1m score 76, published 24 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find The Wedding Singer a warm, good-natured romantic comedy, with praise centred on Adam Sandler’s gentler performance and his chemistry with Drew Barrymore. The reviews repeatedly credit his charm and the pair’s believable affection with making a simple boy-meets-girl story work. The exaggerated 1980s setting and pop soundtrack also draw approval, adding comic energy to a romance that several critics find touching as well as funny. Reservations concern the storytelling more than the central pairing: the plot is described as loose or simple, while the lowbrow humour remains a qualification even in a favourable review. The Hollywood Reporter specifically faults a sagging middle, despite praising the supporting cast and soundtrack. The spread runs from enthusiastic to mixed, with no negative assessments recorded; RogerEbert.com offers a more reserved response, though it still appreciates the film’s amiable romance. ## Straight answers **Is The Wedding Singer worth watching?** *The Wedding Singer* is worth watching for its warm romance and appealing leads, and we score it 76 out of 100. We recommend it to romantic-comedy lovers who enjoy a lively pop soundtrack, though the middle drifts and the lowbrow jokes sometimes get in the way of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore’s persuasive chemistry. **How long is The Wedding Singer, and what is it rated?** *The Wedding Singer* runs 1h 37m. It is a romance and comedy film. **Where can I watch The Wedding Singer in Lithuania?** *The Wedding Singer* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is The Wedding Singer, and is it suitable for children?** *The Wedding Singer* carries a UK 12 certificate, so we would not choose it for younger children. Its broad, lowbrow humour is the main content concern we can identify; we cannot give a more specific assurance about violence or frightening material from that rating alone. **How does The Wedding Singer compare to Strictly Ballroom?** *The Wedding Singer* offers a relaxed, pop-accompanied romance, while [*Strictly Ballroom*](https://film.one/film/strictly-ballroom) gives its courtship more energy through dancing. We favour *The Wedding Singer* for an undemanding evening with an appealing couple, and *Strictly Ballroom* for livelier entertainment; both have familiar stories and broad comedy, but the former’s slack middle makes it the less consistently engaging choice. **What should I watch after The Wedding Singer?** After *The Wedding Singer*, try [*Strictly Ballroom*](https://film.one/film/strictly-ballroom) (1992, Fi1m 83): Broad comedy and an earnest courtship find room beside cheerfully excessive dancing. Then [*Rye Lane*](https://film.one/film/rye-lane) (2023, Fi1m 78): A brighter, quicker courtship with two leads worth spending an evening alongside. ### Reviews we read (9) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kevin Thomas (90/100, inferred): Thomas finds the film a sparkling, graceful romantic comedy that sends audiences home happy. He especially praises Adam Sandler’s unexpectedly appealing romantic performance and the charm he and Drew Barrymore bring to their roles. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-feb-13-ca-18517-story.html) - **Variety**, Leonard Klady (90/100, inferred): Klady finds the film spirited, funny, warm, and unabashedly romantic. He especially praises Adam Sandler’s breakthrough performance and the human warmth he brings to the comedy. [Read](https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/the-wedding-singer-1200452909/) - **Empire**, Caroline Westbrook (85/100, inferred): Westbrook finds the film irresistible, despite its simple boy-meets-girl story. She praises its exaggerated 1980s nostalgia, lively soundtrack, and the appealing pairing of Sandler and Barrymore. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/wedding-singer-review/) - **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (4/5): Jones finds the film an entertaining, good-natured romantic comedy. He praises the chemistry between Sandler and Barrymore and the film’s playful use of its 1980s setting and pop soundtrack. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-xf08dp/the-wedding-singer/) - **Total Film**, Yael Shuv (4/5): Shuv finds the film a pleasant, quirky, genuinely touching comedy that succeeds despite its loose plot and lowbrow humor. She especially praises Adam Sandler’s puppy-dog charm and the believable romantic chemistry he shares with Drew Barrymore. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-wedding-singer-review/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Michael Rechtshaffen (72/100, inferred): The review calls the film a winning romantic comedy and Sandler’s best effort, though it faults a sagging middle. It praises the supporting cast and the film’s lively use of its 1980s soundtrack. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/wedding-singer-review-adam-sandler-drew-barrymore-1235324140/) - **The New York Times**, Janet Maslin (70/100, inferred): The review views the film as a warmly entertaining romantic comedy. It singles out Adam Sandler’s gentler comic performance as a welcome change. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/13/movies/film-review-something-borrowed-85.html) - **Time Out**, TCh (64/100, inferred): The available description offers no clear critical verdict. It identifies Sandler’s Robbie Hart as a wannabe rock star stuck on the wedding-band circuit. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-wedding-singer) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (2.5/4): Ebert gives the film a mixed assessment. He appreciates its amiable romantic comedy, though the page text available here does not reveal what he singled out. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-wedding-singer-1998) ## Details - **Director:** Frank Coraci - **Director:** Frank Coraci - **Screenplay:** Tim Herlihy - **Cinematography:** Tim Suhrstedt - **Editor:** Tom Lewis - **Music:** Teddy Castellucci - **Production design:** Perry Andelin Blake - **Costume design:** Mona May - **Producer:** Jack Giarraputo, Robert Simonds - **Cast:** Adam Sandler as Robbie Hart; Drew Barrymore as Julia Sullivan; Christine Taylor as Holly Sullivan; Allen Covert as Sammy; Matthew Glave as Glenn Gulia; Ellen Albertini Dow as Rosie; Angela Featherstone as Linda; Alexis Arquette as George - **Runtime:** 1h 37m - **First release (the US):** 13 February 1998 - **Genres:** Romance, Comedy - **Budget:** $18 million - **Box office:** $123 million ## Where to watch in Lithuania - Amazon Prime Video: rent €3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy €9.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-24.* Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, HR, IE, IN, IT, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress 1998: Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress (nominated) - MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance 1998: MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance (nominated) - MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss 1998: MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (won) - MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo 1998: MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Shop Around the Corner* (1940): A patient, funny romance whose prickly leads take time to recognise their good fortune. - *Strictly Ballroom* (1992), Fi1m 83: Broad comedy and an earnest courtship find room beside cheerfully excessive dancing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/strictly-ballroom.md) - *Sing Street* (2016): Pop music gives another hopeful young romantic the nerve to risk embarrassment. - *Rye Lane* (2023), Fi1m 78: A brighter, quicker courtship with two leads worth spending an evening alongside. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/rye-lane.md) - *Enough Said* (2013): Another romance that trusts appealing actors, awkward conversation and modest emotional stakes. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-wedding-singer