One critic has labelled the romantic comedy, shot in different locations in the Top End, “generic” and “downright annoying” but did praise the inclusion of parts of the world not seen in a Sundance film before. 

“Less successful is Wayne Blair’s generic Top End Wedding, a movie that plays out like a mainstream romantic comedy until it finally gets to its last half hour, where respect for its setting and the people who live there add some much-needed weight to a film that was direly in need of it,” critic Brian Tallerico writes. 

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Another critic however, is much more generous, describing the film as “both charming and funny”.  

“I think there’s enough here that even American audiences can appreciate,” critic Danielle Solzman said. 

“I give a lot of credit to Joshua Tyler and Miranda Tapsell – she doesn’t just star but also co-wrote the script–for coming up with a smartly-written screenplay.

“The other thing that Top End Wedding has going for it is the Indigenous representation.  It’s very great to see Aboriginal Australians and their customs get the spotlight on the big screen. This is especially true late in the film.” 

The star of the film Miranda Tapsell, who grew up in the NT, made an appearance on Channel 10’s The Project  last Friday, saying she was “blown away” by the reaction of the audience at the American premier. 

“[Top End Wedding] is my love story to the Territory and despite all of the Aboriginal slang I threw in and the Territory colloquialisms people were still on board.”

Top End Wedding, shot on location at Nitmiluk, called for over 20 extras from Katherine to play the role of tourists. 

With a screening at Nitmiluk in May as part of the Northern Territory Travelling Film Festival, anticipation is building. 

The NTTFF will be on the road between March and early June, with an outdoor cinema popping up under the stars among popular hot spots, iconic landscapes and remote Indigenous communities.

Festival Director Britt Guy said the 2019 film festival is packed with films for everyone to appreciate. 

“It was thrilling to see local audiences as well as visitors to the Top End respond so enthusiastically to the film program we presented last year,” Mr Guy said. 

For more information about Northern Territory Travelling Film Festival head to the website here. 

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