The Wedding Date (Widescreen Edition)
by Clare Kilner
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Amy Adams, Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, Jack Davenport, Sarah ParishDirector: Clare Kilner
Brand: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN.
Producer: Jeff Levine
Producer: Jessica Bendinger
Producer: Jim Reeve
Producer: Mairi Bett
Producer: Michelle Chydzik Sowa
Writer: Dana Fox
Writer: Elizabeth Young
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-08-16
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Pictures
Movie Reviews of The Wedding Date (Widescreen Edition)
Movie Review: A little FOUR WEDDINGS & A FUNERAL, with a backwards-PRETTY WOMAN concept
Summary: 5 Stars
***THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.***
THE WEDDING DATE is a good romantic movie. It is not a frivolous "chick movie," because there are definitely some dark, bittersweet moments. (There is nothing wrong with a frivolous chick movie, either, if that is what you want. This just isn't one.) The concept of a possible relationship between a woman and the man she pays to escort her to a wedding usually brings to mind PRETTY WOMAN. While I watched the movie, I actually thought more about FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, because of the wry British humor and some of the self-effacing and bawdy characters that I remember from other British movies.
A previous reviewer described Dermot Mulroney's character as "not ... particularly charming, intelligent, nice or interesting ... [just] handsome. Yawn." I completely disagree. Nick's work is based on reading people and seeing what they need in each social situation (not just romantic ones). He adapts to their need at the moment and plays the role he is needed to play. He can be a "man's man" when alone with Kat's male friends and family without having to resort to sophomoric behavior (e.g., when supporting Ed about turning down the prostitute). Yet, he also can handle himself with the women (e.g., the scene where he brings Kat's forgotten purse to the pub, and the women are flirting all around him). In addition, you see that in the scene where he is meeting Kat's ex-fiance, where he just lets the guy start spilling his guts, even though he probably didn't know he was talking to the ex when they began talking. You also see him mentally changing gears when he's talking alone with Kat's stepfather, where there is a lot alluded to while they size each other up. In fact, the movie pretty much spells it out for us when Nick tells Kat that he is there for HER (while she was nervous about the whole escort arrangement), letting her know that he feels it's his job to help her however he can in her quest to make everyone not focus on feeling bad for her past broken engagement and make this wedding weekend as painless as possible. So, he definitely was NOT "doing nothing and just standing there, looking pretty," as the forementioned reviewer characterized it. It's usually the wisest person in the room who sits back & lets others talk, revealing themselves in what they say and how they say it.
This previous review also belittled Kat because she paid "$6000 + airfare to London for a wedding date to make an ex-boyfriend jealous," according to the reviewer. There were a whole lot more people at that wedding than just the ex, and as shown in the first party Kat & Nick attend in England, her being jilted on the day of her wedding was going to be focused on a lot during her sister's wedding weekend, no matter what. So, it was understandable that she would want to make the experience as positive as possible, with a handsome, experienced escort on her arm to smooth over the rough patches of the weekend. Remember, the movie clearly showed that she was a people-pleaser: she was a highly-valued customer service rep for her airline (so much so that she was pulled away from checking in for her flight to manage an "angry customer" emergency), so she pleased people for a living. She also seemed to be used to letting her sister, Amy, have the spotlight, as well as whatever she wanted (e.g. when her sister asked for Kat's drink at the first party of the weekend and Kat gave it to her). So, by bringing a date that everyone would like and believe was really her boyfriend, she was helping to ensure that Amy would be the focus of her own wedding, not her "poor, sad sister, Kat."
It helped to watch the Deleted Scenes to understand a little more of the story's plot points, but I would still have enjoyed the movie thoroughly, even if I hadn't seen them. As someone else has said here in the reviews section, Debra Messing does not talk straight through her audio commentary. There are many times where I forgot I was listening to a commentary, because I was engrossed in watching the movie again & she hadn't spoken in a while. That could have been corrected by having someone else do the commentary with her, such as the director, writer, producer, or even Dermot Mulroney would have been an excellent choice (but I don't know if he normally does commentaries). However, I did still get interesting info & insights out of Debra's commentary and am glad I took the time to watch it. I just suggest you watch the Deleted Scenes before you watch the commentary, so you are familiar with them before she refers to them.
I think that there are some movies that don't strike a chord enough for me to buy them for my DVD collection; I'm just content to have watched them once, and that's it. HOWEVER, I think that this movie is worth owning, and I recommend that you buy it, as I will be.
Summary of The Wedding Date (Widescreen Edition)
If you're a fan of the frazzled comic rhythms Debra Messing plies on Will & Grace, or if you're pre-sold on the concept of Dermot Mulroney as the world's most dashing heartthrob--an idea given ample evidence here--this escapist romance may provide just enough distraction. The Wedding Date's Pretty Woman-in-reverse plot finds Kat Kat Ellis (Messing) hiring expensive male escort Nick Mercer (Mulroney) to fly to London and pose as her dashing new boyfriend at her sister's wedding so she can face the best man, an ex-fiancé who broke her heart. Non-fans of the stars or romantic comedies in general beware: there's no real chemistry or conflict, and you should alert the media if you can determine exactly when and why Kat and Nick fall in love. Mulroney has nothing to do but be sensitively suave--the film's entire running time is spent waiting for Kat to realize that Nick, hooker or no, is the best thing that ever happened to her (her father may be cinema's first dad to ever encourage his daughter to snare a gigolo while she still can). This is a relatively painless but forgettable first Date; you probably won't need a second assignation.--Steve WieckingSimilar DVD Movies
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