I’ve tried thus far to keep this column chick-flick free, but I can’t help myself: the time has come to gush about Muriel’s Wedding, P.J. Hogan’s 1994 Australian romantic comedy drama. The film centers on the naïve and awkward outsider Muriel Heslop (Toni Collette) whose lifelong ambition is to be married and get out of the shabby small town of Porpoise Spit, Australia. Muriel spends her days obsessing over the music of ABBA (we’ve all been there, am I right?) and trying to get in on the group of local popular girls (think an Australian Mean Girls). Meanwhile, she quietly endures her father’s constant emotional abuse. Eventually Muriel works up the courage to take bold action and make something of herself. With the help of a new, uninhibited, and edgy friend Rhonda (Rachel Griffiths), her life finally begins in earnest. Toni Collette’s performance is inspiring, as the audience sees her transform into her own strong person. The film’s garish décor and tacky Technicolor atmosphere are completely in step with the 1990s and the all-ABBA score keeps the mood light and bouncy. While Muriel’s Wedding is a comedy, it also has its heartbreaking moments. The film is at times bittersweet as Muriel experiences loss and enormous blows to her self-esteem during her journey that leads to Sydney and a brand new life. Those challenges only make the moments of joy more vivid and triumphant. At heart Muriel’s Wedding is a story that appeals to all high school kids trying to figure what true friendship looks like, and how to find acceptance not only from others, but also from themselves. Chick-flick fan or not, settle in for a fresh and endearing film experience.