The setup of FATHER OF THE BRIDE II is a simple one. George Banks (Steve Martin) and his wife Nina (Diane Keaton) are a happily married couple. Although they have one kid, Matty (Kieran Culkin), in middle school, their daughter Annie Banks (Kimberly Williams) is now married and living a mile away with her new husband, Bryan MacKenzie (George Newbern). One day the young couple invite both sets of parents, the Banks and John (Peter Michael Goetz) and Joanna (Kate McGregor-Stewart) MacKenzie, to the Banks's house for the big announcement that they are expecting.

The reaction ranges from rapture to being stunned. As Matty puts it, "I'm 4' 6", I don't shave, I don't have a job, and I'm going to be an uncle. Isn't there something weird about that?" George flies into a middle age panic, and he dies his beautiful flowing gray hair jet black. He thinks he is too young to be a grandfather. He reminds us that he is 31 days younger than Bill Clinton. After he dies his hair, a beautiful blonde in a red Ferrari convertible makes a pass at him at a red light, but he sheepishly points to his wedding ring.

One of the stars of the movie is the family home - a classic East Coast style two story in a typical New England neighborhood full of autumn trees which somehow manages to be located in Southern California in this show. George decides to sell it reasoning, "We could sell this house in a second. It's the Leave It to Beaver house everyone wants." The sale of their home and its ramifications are both touching and extremely funny. The writers will really surprise you with what they do with this one.

Perhaps one of the reasons this movie works so well for me are all of the similarities with my own life. George is my age almost to the day. Like us, they are selling the house they have lived in for many years, they have to vacate the house quickly, and their dishes, which play a prominent role in the film, are exactly the same as ours. We are even older parents with a young child (6 in our case). To be honest though, I have had no problems with harassment by Ferraris.

The movie is filled with touching scenes. There is one of father and daughter playing basketball. It is filmed as a series of flashbacks starting at age 4. The cinematography (Elliot Davis) and the editing (Stephen Rotter) are absolute perfection. Kimberly Williams does a wonderful job as a role model of what every parent hopes their children turn into - sweet, smart, good looking, happy, and successful. The basketball scene forms a key part of her character's development in the movie.

The twist in the story that makes it click is that George and Nina find that they too are expecting a baby which pleases Nina but scares George. While driving through town Nina sees idyllic families filmed in sepia whereas George can only see families with little monsters. He tells Nina, "together we're almost a hundred!" Eventually George tries to put a good face on it all. He reassures Nina with "Just because we're older doesn't mean we're old. It's the 90s.", and "Going to the movies will be economical: one child and two seniors!"

The movie deals straightforwardly and effectively with many serious subjects. The fear of your kids growing up and moving across country is an emotional ones for most parents. Our only son is just six, but is already planning on leaving and moving to Montana to be a paleontologist when he grows up, which is as freighting to me as the possibility of Annie moving away is to George.

The best part of the entire movie are the birthing scenes at the end. Times of major emotion and uproarious laughter in the theater. Throughout the show Steve Martin is at the top of his form. He can deliver lines as well as facial expressions without speaking that alternatively have you in stitches one minute and ready to cry the next. A brilliant performance.

The rest of the cast is equally strong. Keaton, who can be too cutesy or quirky, is carefully directed and delivers her warmest performance since REDS. Martin Short again plays Franck Egglehoffer, but in the sequel he is not so obnoxious. In this film, he does not go overboard as he so frequently does, and gives the only lovable and touching as well as comedic role I have ever seen him in. In a minor but well cast role we have Jane Adams as Dr. Megan Eisenberg.

FATHER OF THE BRIDE II is a joy to behold. A life-affirming film whose almost last line is "Life doesn't get much better than this." Amen.

FATHER OF THE BRIDE II runs a brisk 1:46. It is rated PG, but it is a totally non-offensive show that should have been rated G. There is no sex, nudity, violence, bad language, or smoking. You could take a kid of any age, but given the story, I suspect it will only interest kids over say 8. I recommend the movie to you strongly, and I award it *** 1/2.