Father of the Groom
Okay here's the overview of the story I talked about in a previous thread.
It all starts when Matty comes back from a "post graduation trip" from law school. George puts Matty's diploma on the hearth next to Annie's and is a proud father. The whole family is there, including Brian and Annie, and their two kids, George(10) and Sophie(4).
At dinner, Matty seems fiesty and agitated and George begins to suspect that something is going on when the fornt door opens and little Meggan (10) walks in leading a stunnig looking young woman by the arm.
Nina: Meggan honey...who's that?
Meggan: She's the girl who's gonna marry Matty! She was outside so I said she could come in cos she's family!
(Jaws drop everywhere and Matty shies and shrugs, the surprise ruined and all).
The girl, Simone, who's half-french, makes a good impression on everyone until George asks her whatkind of work she's in. Matty answers for her a few times, stumblinga round about her being in the entertainment business and dancing until she politely tells George she's a pole dancer in Vegas. She also reveals that both her parents are dead and that she's been on her own since she was 16.
Jaws drop again and after some time wasting, Matty calls her a cab to take her to her hotel and when he walks back in, Nina and Annie ask him if he's out of his mind. Matty tries to defend himself by saying that he truly loves her; Brian says jokingly that a post graduation trip is all aboutgoing out to sow your wild oats, but you're not supposed fall in love an marry the farmland. George agrees but seems somewhat supportive. Nina and Annie pick up on this and berate their husbands taking the strong feminist stance.
Part of back story also evolves around Annie asking Nina if her intimate life slowed down after she and Matty were born, claiming that Brian and her can't seem to click anymore and that she doesn't feel attractive anymore. Nina tries to comfort her saying it's only natural, but questions her own relationship with George.
From the guy's side...George has to deal with the fact that Meggan, believing that only way to get attention in the family is to get married, asks her cousin little George to marry him, to which he shrugs and says yes. At firt, they all laughed it off like it was nothing serious, but both kids start making plans, and before long a very confused Frank shows up at the Banks' and finding out Matty is getting married, he insists on organizing the Bachelor and Bacholerette party, which George resist, but acquiesces at the end.
Midway through teh story, as the women have been clearly resistant to Simone, something she also picked up on, Matty and Simone end up babysitting the three little ones one night as the Bankc, Banks-MCKEnzies go to dinner at the McKenzies. All through dinner Nina and Annie are worried about leaving the kids with a pole dancer and make excuses to call home. At one point, Meggan answers and says Nina is teaching them to dance and that makes them take off home, only to find Nina teaching them to waltz. They sneak back to the Mckenzies and when everyone finally gets home, they find Matty crashed on the couch and all three kids lying in Nina and George's bed, asleep and Simone finishes a beautiful bedtime story.
As Nina and Annie's intimate frustrations grow, Nina decides that there's only one recourse which is to ask Simone for help, which she happily agrees to teaching the ladies some moves in a hilarious musical sequence with lots of bumps and falls. Through a few short scenes, we see that it worked.
Megan and Little George, however are taking their plans seriously and have already sent out invitations, crayola of course, and have cut up lots of ribbon and tape for decoration.
At the Bachelor/Bachelorett party, the girls are all in thrall with the husky firemen chipendales Frank hired to perform. But no shenanigans happen, as its all in good fun. MEanwhile, the guys are all feeling guily and Frank hired some gorgeous dancers but Matty doesn't seem to be at ease.
With both events taking place at the same hotel, the parties eventually meet and Matty is upset when some of the guys from the party think Simone (who was wearing a very sexy outifit) was one of the dancers and tries to grab her. This leads to Matty punching the guy and a fight breaking out with Frank blowing his whistle comically.
Everyone goes home and Matty is grumpy and silent and Simone trie sto comfort him but it's to no avail. In the kitchen Nina and George aregetting ice for Matty when George makes a comment about how if Nina was a teacher or a chef that the incident wouldn't have happened. He turns to see Simone at teh doorway, visibly hurt by the remark. George and Nina chase after her as she turns to leave but Matty says to let her go, and that everyone was right about her and that he had no business falling in love with dancer. This hurts Simone even more and she says that once she walks out that door, she'll never walk into Matty's life again. Matty does nothing and she leaves, in a very sad scene. Nina and George and Annie and BRian argue about what happened, when the three little ones show up and say
Meggan: ..is this married life? Forget it, I'm not marrying anyone. the wedding's off!
Little George: Uum...okay!
Sophie: I'm gonna marry my dollie!
For next few days Matty is miserable and George, feeling bad, has a father-son talk:
Matty: No dad, you're right...what was I thinking...I'm barely out of collge, I got my whole life ahead of me and I can't throw it all away because of a girl I met in Vegas
George: Matty...you might not remember this but when you were 7, you had this teddy bear named Ralph that you used to take with you everywhere. You never washed it, you never went anywhere without it. But when you started going to elementary school, your mother wanted you to throw it away because you weretoo old to take it to school. I know how much you loved that bear, which is why I knew how much it hurt you to put it in the trashcan. You can't throw away the precious things in life kid....I had to learn that the hard way.
Matty: (Teary eyed). I loved that bear. and I live Simone....but its all gone now.
George: (smiling) not all gone, (hands matty a plastic bag with an old bear in it). At least not while I'm here to stop it! Now go get your coat!
Matty: What? WHere are we going?
George: You're getting more than your bear back Matthew Banks...now hurry up and go!
Father and son hug in a touching scene and they get into the car.
Scene shifts to the Las vegas strip as Matty and George are driving around. Geroge remarks that Matty should know what club Simone works. Matty says he didn't meet her at a strip club...he met her at the library! This makes George smile. Finally they stop by an elvis impersonator (Eugene Levy) and after some rambling, Matty shows him a picture and says.."Oh Simone...she's over at the Etc. Club....lovely girl...got me this gig when I was out of work and having to support a family of four.
They arrive, with a funny scene where the bouncer demands ID from both. They split up, with George making his way to the girls, and having to wavemoney so they can come close. Some of the Las Vegas guys don't appreciate that and start to chase George around the club until he finally bumps into Simone, who tells the Vegas guys to back off. One of them saysm "sure thing cousin". She is shocked tosee George at the club and wonders what he's doing there. He tries to explain everything and she saus she forgives him, but that as much as she loves Matty, he is the one who let her go as she's rushed onto the stage for her solo act by the manager.
George is crowded backwards as the music begins and Simone is by the pole when the music cuts and a familar voice starts to sing "Loving You". A spotlight at the other end shows Matty singing to Simone walking toward her...he apologizes publically and says he was a fool for caring too much about what people thought and not what she an he felt for each other. She seems convinced when he says all he wants is to be "loving you..." and she giggles and hits the high note. As he moves into kiss her....
Simone: I told you I would never walk into your life agian when I walked out that door.
Matty: I know...(picks her up in his arms.....she smiles....they kiss).
Everyone goes AHHHH! They make it back to California and are received by everyone and the last 15 minutes of the movie show a small, but elegant wedding taking place, with Frank giving Simone away and Sophie beaingthe ring bearer, tied to Ralph the teddy bear who's cleaned up and wearing a small tux of his own.
Matty and Simone get married and when the Bouquet is tossed, it lands on Little George who gets a lot of starry-eyed looks from other little girls around him but before anything else Meggan shoves them all away..."Sorry ladies...he's spoken for" and arm in arm they walk away in a cute bride and groom simulation.
The movie ends with Matty and Simone already off on their honeymoon and George and Meggan on the couch with Meggan asleep. As he carries her to his room he passes by photographs of kids growing up and a final shot of Matty and Annie all grown up and married.
In the voiceover he talks about how two weddings, two grandchildren and a third child later...he'd still do it all over again, because it's not about how you live, but who you live it with.
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WHEW...went a bit longer than I expected! Hope someone likes it! There would be a lot of other small bits and pieces to flesh it out but that is pretty much the long and short of it.
"Everyone's a critic...except people who still know how to kick back and ENJOY a movie..."