Muriel's Wedding (1994)

A socially awkward overweight girl (Toni Collette in her breakthrough role) in a provincial Australian town is treated abysmally by both her family and her "mean girls" friends. Stealing a large amount of money from her father (Bill Hunter), she heads off to Sydney in search of a new life. Written and directed by P.J. Hogan (MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING), this comedy is anchored by a strong performance by Toni Collette and the part needs her because Muriel is far from likable. She's shallow and a phony, a liar and a thief and her obsession with getting married is downright creepy yet Collette manages to keep us rooting for her and it finally pays off in the end despite the rough road getting there. The material is far from fresh but the movie's sincerity aids in its journey and Muriel's awakening washes away her past sins. In addition to Collette, two other performances stand out: Rachel Griffiths as her wheelchair bound friend with a built in bullshit detector and Jeanie Drynan as Muriel's put upon mother. With Daniel Lapaine and Gennie Nevinson.