2024 Edinburgh International Film Festival Review

Grief and loss are emotions we will all experience at some point in our lives, however bleak that may sound. Death is inevitable, and for those who love us, a new journey begins. These loved ones must adapt and overcome the grief that comes with loss. At its core, Daniel Reisinger’s And Mrs. is a film about grief, but it also encourages us to consider the lengths some people go to in order to cope with this process. And Mrs. asks the question: How far will you go to process grief? Will it bring closure? Will it make up for all the times you didn’t say ‘I love you‘ back?

The film opens with Gemma (played by the acclaimed comedian Aisling Bea) having a normal day. She wakes up, playfully interacts with her American fiancé Nathan (played by Colin Hanks), and then does a light morning exercise session with her friends. She later heads home and notices that Nathan is still in bed. When she touches him, her hand pulls back, trembling in disbelief, as an earth-shattering realization dawns on her. Her once playful expression turns into one of desolation as she, along with the audience, discovers that Nathan has ed away. Despite this tragedy, Gemma is determined to give Nathan the one thing he truly desired: to get married. To do so, she must overcome numerous legal and familial obstacles preventing her from marrying the now-deceased love of her life.

Touching the skin of a loved one who has just ed is a moment that stays with me forever; it is an experience I never want to go through again. The image of Nathan trying to get up and put on a sock reminded me of when I lost my grandma under similar circumstances. Daniel Reisinger created a powerful and resonant image. From that moment, I knew this one would be special. Marrying your deceased fiancé might sound like the concept for a gross-out comedy, but I loved that this was Gemma’s way of grieving. It might be unorthodox, but who is anyone to judge? Gemma’s friend says, ‘Once she cries, she will stop with this whole wedding idea.’ This line is designed to strike a nerve and expertly helps the audience sympathize with Gemma even more. Reisinger uses comedy to alleviate the seriousness of the story. While there were a couple of jokes that started off amusing but gradually became overbearing, many of the jokes help the audience to relax. I feel they also highlight that it’s okay to laugh, even during the saddest of times. One joke in particular, involving cheating, is a clever use of word association.

Many of the scenes work so well because Aisling Bea is wonderful, even though I feel she is playing a variation of herself. For the character she portrays, she fits the role perfectly. It was a surprise to see Billie Lourd in this film. While her name might not be widely recognizable, her mother was the late Carrie Fisher. She plays Audrey, Nathan’s sister, and in hindsight, her character deals with issues similar to what Billie has experienced in real life. Seeing reality mixed with fiction really tugs at the heartstrings.

And Mrs. is, in a way, a sleeper hit of the festival. On paper, it may seem unremarkable, but the film takes its concept and does something wonderful with it. I had a great time watching this one – I laughed and I cried. It’s simply a lovely film.