CORPORATE LINE: In this sparkling romantic comedy, Debra Messing plays Kat, a never-married New Yorker, who is invited to her parents’ London home for her younger sister’s wedding. What should be a joyous occasion bodes disaster for Kat, however, when she discovers that the best man will be none other than her ex-fiancé, who, two years before, inexplicably dumped her. In a desperate attempt to face the ordeal with dignity, Kat hires Nick (Dermot Mulroney), a charming and handsome professional male escort, to pose as her new boyfriend and escort her to the wedding.
Even more valuable to Kat than Nick’s good looks and charisma is his keen insight into human behavior–a well-learned trick of his trade. Over the course of the weekend, Nick takes on the role of the bride’s therapist, the father’s ideal son-in-law, the groom’s new best friend and the object of every woman’s affection. For Kat, what starts out as a pretend relationship with Nick begins to turn into something entirely unexpected: a second chance at love.
THE GOOD: Sure the Wedding Date is completely schmaltzy. It’s not some grand vision on the romantic comedy however it is fun. Debra Messing is all that saves what could have been a disaster of a film. And although Messing doesn’t stray far from her character Grace on “Will & Grace” this script doesn’t call for it so she can be forgiven—this time.
Dermot Mulroney does well as the male escort, sure he’s not exactly Julie Roberts playing the role of a lifetime, and is effectively worth every penny Messing’s character dishes out. He certainly had the ladies at our screening giggling like school girls.
THE BAD: With so much chemistry from this delightful cast it’d seem nothing could go wrong. Not so fast. There are a few twists that are too following the usual Hollywood clichés. Apparently the screenwriter never lived a real life, instead living his live through cinema. These issues don’t kill the movie but they don’t help it even with an ending that is completely at odds with reality.
FRANKLY: The Wedding Date is a lovely romantic comedy. Sure it runs aground a few times but the laughs come often enough that you forget when it goes wrong. The Wedding Date won’t make you forget Pretty Woman yet it’s a great dinner and a movie flick that will cap your date night with a smile.
+ Charlie Craine
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