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Four Weddings and a Funeral
[Penguin Readers Level 5]
The hilarious, Academy Award-nominated screenplay that features six old friends, three disastrous receptions, a tongue-tied priest, and the role that made Hugh Grant the world's favorite bumbling bachelor.
Toasted by romantics and cynics, critics and fans, Four Weddings and a Funeral grossed more than $250 million worldwide, garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, and was unanimously pronounced the romantic comedy of the 90s.
Richard Curtis's smart, irreverent, and brilliantly crafted screenplay will delight fans of the movie, as well as screenwriters and film students. From the first spoken line to the last ("I do"), it's a jubilant celebration of friendship, romance, and good humor.
Toasted by romantics and cynics, critics and fans, Four Weddings and a Funeral grossed more than $250 million worldwide, garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, and was unanimously pronounced the romantic comedy of the 90s.
Richard Curtis's smart, irreverent, and brilliantly crafted screenplay will delight fans of the movie, as well as screenwriters and film students. From the first spoken line to the last ("I do"), it's a jubilant celebration of friendship, romance, and good humor.
71 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1999
32 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
Richard Curtis
153 books81 followersRichard Whalley Anthony Curtis, CBE
Graduate of Harrow School and subsequently Christ Church, University of Oxford. Academy Award nominee and recipient of Emmy and BAFTA awards for screenwriting. He is also a director and producer. In 2007, he became a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Graduate of Harrow School and subsequently Christ Church, University of Oxford. Academy Award nominee and recipient of Emmy and BAFTA awards for screenwriting. He is also a director and producer. In 2007, he became a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
April 10, 2025
Najciekawsza lekturka z angielskiego 🫡
December 6, 2017
3/5 stars.
It was really funny! Even when I had to read it for an exam, I enjoyed it so much ♥
It was really funny! Even when I had to read it for an exam, I enjoyed it so much ♥
April 9, 2018
It is definitely a tender and romantic story, I consider it also a funny one too.
It occurred in England, about a group of friends seeking love and the right partner whom share their life with.
The story is through the eyes of Charles, a handsome single man, he had plenty of ex-girlfriends, but not one of them could catch his heart as Carrie did. He met her in the first wedding of his friends, Angus and Laura, and it was a love at first sight!
Carrie is an American, she is attractive and a really bold girl. They met again in the next three weddings and at the funeral of Gareth. The third wedding was celebrating Carrie and the rich Scottish guy, so Charles thought that he lost his last chance with his angle.
He ended up planning for his wedding with Henrita "the duck-face" girl, but in the last moment he spoiled Henrita's dream to became a married woman.
Each one of Charles's friends had different concept about marriage and the perfect husband or wife, there is always that tiny line between the desire or hope and the decision that they should take. On the other hand Charles was looking for a real passionate love that last forever.
Honestly, I enjoyed stretching the suspense in some part of the book, However i felt that the author missed some details in the story. The language was pretty easy to understand.
I liked Gareth's sarcastic expression about marriage when he said:
"Do you know what I think about marriage?
Two people are in love. They live together, then suddenly they can't think of anything to say to each other. They're worried what are they going to do? Then the man has an idea.
They'll get married! And then they've got something to talk about for the rest of their live"
It occurred in England, about a group of friends seeking love and the right partner whom share their life with.
The story is through the eyes of Charles, a handsome single man, he had plenty of ex-girlfriends, but not one of them could catch his heart as Carrie did. He met her in the first wedding of his friends, Angus and Laura, and it was a love at first sight!
Carrie is an American, she is attractive and a really bold girl. They met again in the next three weddings and at the funeral of Gareth. The third wedding was celebrating Carrie and the rich Scottish guy, so Charles thought that he lost his last chance with his angle.
He ended up planning for his wedding with Henrita "the duck-face" girl, but in the last moment he spoiled Henrita's dream to became a married woman.
Each one of Charles's friends had different concept about marriage and the perfect husband or wife, there is always that tiny line between the desire or hope and the decision that they should take. On the other hand Charles was looking for a real passionate love that last forever.
Honestly, I enjoyed stretching the suspense in some part of the book, However i felt that the author missed some details in the story. The language was pretty easy to understand.
I liked Gareth's sarcastic expression about marriage when he said:
"Do you know what I think about marriage?
Two people are in love. They live together, then suddenly they can't think of anything to say to each other. They're worried what are they going to do? Then the man has an idea.
They'll get married! And then they've got something to talk about for the rest of their live"
October 31, 2015
" لا تتزوج إلا من تحبه من أعماق قلبك"
فكرة يدافع عنها الادباء والشعراء والمفكرين عبر العصور ..
كل هذا جميل .!
الجديد المسبب للغثيان والقولون وقرحة الأمعاء وتصلب الشرايين وحمى الركب هو توسيع هذه الفكرة لتشمل الشواذ والمثليين وزنا المحارم والحيوانات
.
خمس أبطال يبحثون عن الحب
ينتهي البحث بنتائج مختلفة شكلاً ( للدرجة التي تسبب الأعراض أعلاه ) ومتفقة معنىً..
.
على كل حال .. أدب القوم نتاج الفكر والواقع..
فكرة يدافع عنها الادباء والشعراء والمفكرين عبر العصور ..
كل هذا جميل .!
الجديد المسبب للغثيان والقولون وقرحة الأمعاء وتصلب الشرايين وحمى الركب هو توسيع هذه الفكرة لتشمل الشواذ والمثليين وزنا المحارم والحيوانات
.
خمس أبطال يبحثون عن الحب
ينتهي البحث بنتائج مختلفة شكلاً ( للدرجة التي تسبب الأعراض أعلاه ) ومتفقة معنىً..
.
على كل حال .. أدب القوم نتاج الفكر والواقع..
October 19, 2012
I don't liked the book but had to read it for my booklist from school
February 18, 2023
fajne.
April 8, 2018
a beautiful journey searching for love.
i watched the movie a long time ago but i enjoyed the tale more, rich in story and characters and so british.
the relation-ships of a group of people and their need to find the right person,in very romantic, funny combination.
i watched the movie a long time ago but i enjoyed the tale more, rich in story and characters and so british.
the relation-ships of a group of people and their need to find the right person,in very romantic, funny combination.
May 10, 2021
El peor final, Charles era un mujeriego sin remedio, no merecía a henrietta ni a fiona, fiona lo amo incansablemente por AÑOS y ni se tomo de su tiempo para siquiera mirarla y Carrie es una como dirían mis no-amigos los gringos a cheater, fuera de eso el libro es entretenido y rápido de leer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2025
Four Weddings and a Funeral by Richard Curtis
Nine out of 10
One of the most charming romantic comedies, Four Weddings and a Funeral has an outstanding Metascore, average rating by major critics that stands at 81 out of 100 (!), and benefits from a wonderful cast – as an example, one of the minor roles, that of a priest with only a couple of minutes of screen time (but what radiant, hilarious moments those are) has been filled by the famous Mr. Bean aka Rowan Atkinson as the awkward, shy, afraid of public speaking ( which is what people fear more than death, according to some polls) maladroit, gaffe prone Father Gerald, who is about to spoil one wedding when he is unable to utter the necessary ‘will you take this woman…’and the other well-known lines.
Hugh Grant is marvelous as the hero of the story, the main character within those Four Weddings and the regrettable Funeral, a young man who lives with a woman friend, in a platonic, non coital relationship and is involved in a few affairs that have failed – well, he has had one hysterical bond with a woman who seems deranged, but he may yet have a chance to find what seems like the Absolute Snow White, the Wonder Woman aka the American Carrie aka the resplendent and one of the most stupefying, fabulous artists, Andie MacDowell.
He is looking for love, meaning, respectable, serious involvement, just as his circle of friends is, in spite of the sardonic attitudes, and the spleen, taedium vitae, ennui that seems to overwhelm some or most of them at times, seeing as they do to find the ideal of Plato, that other elusive half of the sphere – according to Plato, we have been divided in two halves of the perfect sphere and we look for completion, the other half that would make us one happy entity – obviously, this is not how the great, ancient philosopher has put it, but then he is not writing this sorry piece.
At the first wedding, we have one of the excellent humorous moments of this enchanting narrative, for when an acquaintance comes to Charles, who is speaking to the spectacular Carrie, the hero asks about the girlfriend that this man is with and he finds that she is no longer his girlfriend, an occasion for the gauche protagonist to express joy, for she was still fucking her ex-lover and then the bomb falls – she is my wife now! Oops, that was an unfortunate gaffe.
When our man sits at the table, ready to begin his speech, as the best man and friend pf the groom, he introduces himself to the old relative sitting next to him and he says his name is Charles, only to hear the old man retort with vigor and conviction…
‘Don’t ‘be ridiculous, Charles has been dead for twenty years now!’
Obviously, Hugh Grant has that charm, his unique manner of hesitating, making some odd moves, frowning a little, showing innocence and ingenuity that might remind some of James Stewart who was also famous, albeit decades before, with his style of apparently bungling the lines, but making them so much more credible in the process…
If Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston have become infamous as a big screen couple that apparently had no chemistry, perhaps even an antipathy for each other on the set of The Bodyguard, Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell seem to get along perfectly, and indeed, the actress has been in some of the most remarkable parts we can think of – to mention a few: The Muse (noted on here - http://realini.blogspot.com/2019/02/t... ) Green Card (http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/10/g...) the glorious Sex, Lies and Videotape (http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/02/n...) or the splendid The Object of Beauty (http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/04/t...)
The combination between romance, comedy and some introspection, sadness, caused by the sudden, unexpected death of the vivacious, at times bombastic, amusing, baritone Gareth aka the wondrous Simon Callow, works to near perfection and some moments are memorable, perhaps legendary, such as the awkward, mirthful marriage proposal, or was it declaration of love, the punch in the face received by the would be groom, when he states that he is no longer going to get married, the service of the hapless Father Gerald aka Rowan Atkinson who speaks with absolute gravity about…
The Holy Goat and
To be my Awful wedded wife, instead of the necessary, common sense lines known by everybody…what were they, by the way?
Four Weddings and a Funeral has become such a classic that it is about to have a remake…
Nine out of 10
One of the most charming romantic comedies, Four Weddings and a Funeral has an outstanding Metascore, average rating by major critics that stands at 81 out of 100 (!), and benefits from a wonderful cast – as an example, one of the minor roles, that of a priest with only a couple of minutes of screen time (but what radiant, hilarious moments those are) has been filled by the famous Mr. Bean aka Rowan Atkinson as the awkward, shy, afraid of public speaking ( which is what people fear more than death, according to some polls) maladroit, gaffe prone Father Gerald, who is about to spoil one wedding when he is unable to utter the necessary ‘will you take this woman…’and the other well-known lines.
Hugh Grant is marvelous as the hero of the story, the main character within those Four Weddings and the regrettable Funeral, a young man who lives with a woman friend, in a platonic, non coital relationship and is involved in a few affairs that have failed – well, he has had one hysterical bond with a woman who seems deranged, but he may yet have a chance to find what seems like the Absolute Snow White, the Wonder Woman aka the American Carrie aka the resplendent and one of the most stupefying, fabulous artists, Andie MacDowell.
He is looking for love, meaning, respectable, serious involvement, just as his circle of friends is, in spite of the sardonic attitudes, and the spleen, taedium vitae, ennui that seems to overwhelm some or most of them at times, seeing as they do to find the ideal of Plato, that other elusive half of the sphere – according to Plato, we have been divided in two halves of the perfect sphere and we look for completion, the other half that would make us one happy entity – obviously, this is not how the great, ancient philosopher has put it, but then he is not writing this sorry piece.
At the first wedding, we have one of the excellent humorous moments of this enchanting narrative, for when an acquaintance comes to Charles, who is speaking to the spectacular Carrie, the hero asks about the girlfriend that this man is with and he finds that she is no longer his girlfriend, an occasion for the gauche protagonist to express joy, for she was still fucking her ex-lover and then the bomb falls – she is my wife now! Oops, that was an unfortunate gaffe.
When our man sits at the table, ready to begin his speech, as the best man and friend pf the groom, he introduces himself to the old relative sitting next to him and he says his name is Charles, only to hear the old man retort with vigor and conviction…
‘Don’t ‘be ridiculous, Charles has been dead for twenty years now!’
Obviously, Hugh Grant has that charm, his unique manner of hesitating, making some odd moves, frowning a little, showing innocence and ingenuity that might remind some of James Stewart who was also famous, albeit decades before, with his style of apparently bungling the lines, but making them so much more credible in the process…
If Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston have become infamous as a big screen couple that apparently had no chemistry, perhaps even an antipathy for each other on the set of The Bodyguard, Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell seem to get along perfectly, and indeed, the actress has been in some of the most remarkable parts we can think of – to mention a few: The Muse (noted on here - http://realini.blogspot.com/2019/02/t... ) Green Card (http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/10/g...) the glorious Sex, Lies and Videotape (http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/02/n...) or the splendid The Object of Beauty (http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/04/t...)
The combination between romance, comedy and some introspection, sadness, caused by the sudden, unexpected death of the vivacious, at times bombastic, amusing, baritone Gareth aka the wondrous Simon Callow, works to near perfection and some moments are memorable, perhaps legendary, such as the awkward, mirthful marriage proposal, or was it declaration of love, the punch in the face received by the would be groom, when he states that he is no longer going to get married, the service of the hapless Father Gerald aka Rowan Atkinson who speaks with absolute gravity about…
The Holy Goat and
To be my Awful wedded wife, instead of the necessary, common sense lines known by everybody…what were they, by the way?
Four Weddings and a Funeral has become such a classic that it is about to have a remake…
April 14, 2022
3 estrellas. La lectura se hace muy amena y el nivel de inglés es bastante sencillo así que no me ha generado ningún problema. Si es verdad que no le he dado más estrellas porque el final me ha decepcionado, pero sin tenerlo en cuenta, el resto de la historia me ha gustado mucho y hasta me he reído en algunos momentos.
July 22, 2021
2.5/5
Four Weddings and a Funeral is a romantic-funny story. It was easy to read and easy to follow. Anyways, I didn't like it at all. Charles didn't deserve anything but Carrie, the American cheater woman.
Four Weddings and a Funeral is a romantic-funny story. It was easy to read and easy to follow. Anyways, I didn't like it at all. Charles didn't deserve anything but Carrie, the American cheater woman.
July 16, 2022
todos son felices excepto los homosexuales!!! resumen 4 parejas heterosexuales con 0 química q apenas se conocen se casan!!!!! y muere un varón gay así q el novio se lamenta y queda solo por siempre fin. At least es una comedia romántica así q lo leí d una
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2024
Me acuerdo que lo leí para inglés hace ya varios años y me habia gustado mucho, se que vi la peli tambien pero esa no me gusto tanto, lo unico que rescataba era que estaba hugh grant. Tendria que volver a leer el libro
November 19, 2017
my definition of light read :)
February 1, 2019
A funny story, wasnt much story though.
February 17, 2020
What can be said about a book that is just plain funny, as well as, bittersweet? This is what I needed today.
Read
December 21, 2022sdaasdsd
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2022
I mean, I love the movie, which I will rewatch after this.
Sidenote: it's interesting that there's a minor character, Charles' ex girlfriend, with *that* name
Sidenote: it's interesting that there's a minor character, Charles' ex girlfriend, with *that* name
October 27, 2023
That man did NOT have to die. That was too random
August 14, 2024
It was quite a fun comedic read
September 27, 2024
es que la película es una fantasía
April 16, 2025
3 stars
November 21, 2025
un libro divertido y simple.
nunca fue tan literal un titulo.
nunca fue tan literal un titulo.
July 25, 2022
lo lei para la escuela y qcy fue facil de leer y con las cosas que le pasaban me reia pq wtf como te va a pasar eso
May 22, 2015
CHARLES: Ehm, look. Sorry, sorry. I just, ehm, well, this is a very stupid question and… , particularly in view of our recent shopping excursion, but I just wondered, by any chance, ehm, eh, I mean obviously not because I’m just some git who’s only slept with 9 people, but-but I-I just wondered… ehh. I really feel, ehh, in short, to recap it slightly in a clearer version, eh, the words of David Cassidy in fact, eh, while he was still with the Partridge family, eh, “I think I love you,” and eh, I-I just wondered by any chance you wouldn’t like to… Eh… Eh… No, no, no of course not… I’m an idiot, he’s not… Excellent, excellent, fantastic, eh, I was gonna say lovely to see you, sorry to disturb… Better get on…
CARRIE: That was very romantic.
CHARLES: Well, I thought it over a lot, you know, I wanted to get it just right.
September 24, 2013
Bueno, voy a admitir que me divertí mucho leyendo este libro, y me trajo grandes recuerdos de la película que vi, hace tanto ya, que no me acordaba más que una boda y el funeral jaja.
Lo que no me gusto fue la forma en que estaba escrito, muy así nomás, pero bueno esta escrito pensado para estudiantes de ingles y no se gastaron mucho en las descripciones.
Asique llego a la conclusión: la película fabulosa, el libro divertido para pasar el rato y practicar ingles de paso.
Mi parte favorita sin duda es el poema de Matthew en el funeral, preciosa escena.
Lo que no me gusto fue la forma en que estaba escrito, muy así nomás, pero bueno esta escrito pensado para estudiantes de ingles y no se gastaron mucho en las descripciones.
Asique llego a la conclusión: la película fabulosa, el libro divertido para pasar el rato y practicar ingles de paso.
Mi parte favorita sin duda es el poema de Matthew en el funeral, preciosa escena.
December 28, 2023
Richard Curtis's book is a heartwarming tale that seamlessly weaves humor and poignant moments. The narrative, set against a charming backdrop, follows relatable characters on a journey of self-discovery and love. Curtis' witty writing style captivates readers, making it a delightful and easy read. The book's clever dialogue and cleverly crafted plot keep the pages turning. While some may find the ending predictable, Curtis injects enough charm and sincerity to make it satisfying. Overall, a delightful read for those seeking a feel-good story with a dash of humor and a sprinkle of romance.
October 1, 2013
This book was selected by one group of my reading students, so I picked it up and read it to make sure that I am up to speed when they have their group discussions about what they read.
Basically, it read like a quite detailed Wikipedia article concerning the plot of the movie. While I am sure this is on par for an intermediate ESL/EFL reader, it was a bit hard for me to read since there was a lot of detail missing from the story that I would expect from a full length novel.
Basically, it read like a quite detailed Wikipedia article concerning the plot of the movie. While I am sure this is on par for an intermediate ESL/EFL reader, it was a bit hard for me to read since there was a lot of detail missing from the story that I would expect from a full length novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews