When a bride-to-be’s fiancé suddenly drops dead, she decides to marry him anyway in Daniel Reisinger’s And Mrs.

Grief and comedy don’t typically go hand in hand. Bereavement is usually a somber and emotionally difficult time so mining comedy from that experience could be so easily seen as insensitive. In reality, there are many moments of levity to be found in the grieving process. Whether that be someone accidentally saying the wrong thing or petty resentments that come to a head due to the death bringing people together who otherwise keep their distance. Grief is complex and unpredictable. The infinite possible reactions provide a lot of fodder for stories to be told beyond reminiscing and tears.

And Mrs lives in the complexity of grief and deftly conveys the multitudes. It eases the viewer into the comedy after letting the gravity of the loss sink in and periodically returns to the pain of such a sudden and powerful loss. The chaos of the experience is fully embraced and there is a strong focus on emotional realism.

The narrative is funnelled through the perspective of Gemma (Aisling Bea); the woman left behind after her husband-to-be, Nathan (Colin Hanks) suddenly drops dead. After taking some time to process the loss, she decides to honour her promise to her late fiancé and marry him even though he has passed away.

It’s a notion that many find insane but she is fully committed to going through with it an pursues her goal relentlessly. Working to achieve this proves an effective coping mechanism as it keeps her engaged and focused rather than wallowing in the loss that she has experienced.

The film is loosely structured around the five stages of grief as Gemma experiences them. They don’t happen in order and moving to another stage doesn’t prevent her from returning to a previous one; highlighting the realism of grieving not being a straight line. Bargaining, for example, is one that crops on on several occasions as Gemma petitions the court for legal signoff on what she wants. Some of the best comedic moments come from these scenes thanks to Harriet Walter’s subtle comedic chops bouncing nicely off Aisling Bea’s manic energy. The other stages are represented throughout and are punctuated by memorable moments.

Gemma is an engaging character played wonderfully by Aisling Bea. Her outwardly flippant demeanour and well-cultivated emotional distance make the outbursts more poignant as it’s understood how much it takes in order for Gemma to reach the point of expressing how she really feels.

Her relationship with Nathan is depicted in flashbacks and hallucinations. The flashbacks establish the “opposites attract” dynamic with him very much being outwardly passionate and romantic while she turns her nose up at such a mindset. Her cynicism causes arguments between them and her commitment to him is even called into question due to the gulf in perceived investment in wedding plans. This memory partly fuels Gemma’s desire to go through with the wedding following his death as her way of proving to him that she was fully committed to spending the rest of her life committed to him.

The relationship is strongly depicted. Using flashbacks to deliver a sense of how they were together as a couple is an effective device and the hallucinations allow insight into Gemma’s mindset in moments she won’t vocalise her feelings to family and friends. Her interactions with the imagined version of Nathan develop her cracking barriers before the inevitable explosion of grief while highlighting her devotion to him and their life together.

Aiding Gemma on her quest is Nathan’s sister, Audrey (Billie Lourd); a free-spirited presence living an unconventional life. She enables Gemma every step of the way and even manages to turn her into an internet celebrity by encouraging others to embrace the power of love and see the romance in this story. Notably, the other side is also represented but the message this film wants the viewer to buy into is that Gemma’s quest is a noble one worth championing.

Billie Lourd bounces off Aisling Bea with the pair making for a fun pairing throughout. The writing where Audrey is concerned is inconsistent with a number of traits attributed to her for no other reason than to highlight how chaotic and free-spirited she is. She comes across as more of a necessary ingredient to allow the plot to function rather than a fully realised character in her own right. The same could be applied to most of the supporting characters but it’s more egregious with Audrey due to how integral she is to the overall narrative. Some attempts are made to add depth to her such as an absent mother and her aversion to forming long-term connections but they are minor elements that never rise much beyond basic inclusions.

And Mrs strikes an impressive tonal balance. It’s sad when appropriate, funny when it needs to be and very moving in places. It’s brimming with charm and holds the attention throughout. The portrayal of grief is complex and sensitive and the collection of characters is varied enough to always hold the viewer’s interest. The writing is strong enough for the viewer to buy into the insanity of the central premise with a sharp script that fully sells the romance of what Gemma wants to achieve. This will leave the viewer with a mix of emotions which is exactly what grief is.

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Verdict

A sharply written complex story about the complexities of grief with a unique central premise, an engaging leading character and an abundance of charm.

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