MOVIEW REVIEW: ‘Wedding’ might be worth a date
Grade: B-
At the beginning of this film we see Kat, played by Debra Messing, stumbling around her apartment trying to get ready for a flight to London. While she amuses us with her clumsiness, the song “Breathless” (by The Cores) is played during the opening credits as we see her step outside her apartment and watch her taxi drive through a sunny New York City morning.
The initial impression this picture gives makes “The Wedding Date” appear to be an airy, attractive and light-hearted comedy. And, that it is. But we become a bit disoriented when other elements of the film slowly surface.
Messing plays a beautiful, single and flimsy businesswoman traveling to her little sister’s wedding in the United Kingdom. She clearly shows her feelings of doubt and nervousness about arriving there alone and to add to the discomfort her ex-fiancé is the best man. To avoid the inevitably uncomfortable situations that await her, she hires a professional male escort to pose as her current lover. Nick, the all-business stud (Dermot Mulroney, “My Best Friends Wedding”), agrees to pretend he’s Kat’s boyfriend for the weekend without letting anyone know the truth of her empty life.
While Mulroney is dripping with smooth attitude and dashing confidence, Messing is constantly on edge as the self-conscious bridesmaid. This creates an amusing match through which much of the humor is derived. As we watch them portray their fake relationship to the family, their connection with each other develops in private, behind the scenes of the marriage festivities. So, we are taken back and forth from behind the scenes to the public gatherings. This movement of the plot seems to create an uneven pace and we never really know how the story will develop. As a result there are times when we never really know how the characters are developing, creating either confusion or intrigue for the audience.
During the series of wedding luncheons, parties and afternoon cocktails we are taken on a tour of the verdant English countryside and introduced to Kat’s various family members. Gradually, a complex web of love and adultery is revealed. This darkens the film considerably and causes Messing’s character to transform from a fidgeting schoolgirl to a serious damsel in emotional distress. A considerable amount of alcohol consumption and sex is in the story, although there is no graphic content of any kind. This makes “The Wedding Date” a peculiar mixture of romance, family tragedy, drunken stupors and unbridled sexual attraction.
Messing gives a performance far different from her “Will & Grace” character and shows credible range but Mulroney lacks depth and emotional intensity, making him appear to be nothing more than the stereotypical hunk. As we watch their romance blossom, their chemistry looked as if it was forced and awkward at times. “The Wedding Date” is not a complete disaster but it isn’t a glorious triumph in the genre of romantic comedies. The actors clearly enjoy working in this film but not all the moments of humor are effective. Much like a real date, there are some good things and some bad things. But the combination of them creates an eccentric closing and we aren’t very compelled to remember anything. For most of us, this is one “date” that will be somewhat enjoyable, although most of us will probably forget it the next day.
Casey T. Allen is a junior majoring in English and reviews movies for the Utah Statesman. Comments may be sent to him at caseyal@cc.usu.edu