Verliebt in die Braut

I have to start by saying that I am not a huge fan of "chick flicks" but I actually really liked this one! I thought this had a lot of humor and it wasn't really cheesy humor, it was actually funny.

I saw this at a screening for theater managers and at first I wasn't even going to go. I wasn't expecting much from it, it just looked like another rip off of a hundred other romantic comedies. I was very surprised that that I liked it the entire way through and it kept my interest the whole time! Although I enjoyed the movie, it was not an original idea. The one thing I did really enjoy about it was that this wasn't a sad girl trying to get the guy like many other movies like this are, it was shown through the guy's perspective which isn't quite as over done.

I won't give out any details you don't already see in the trailer for the movie: Patrick Dempsy's character is great with women and his best friend is a successful intelligent woman. She goes to Scotland on business and Patrick's character realizes he has actually fallen in love with her now that shes gone. She comes back and he is ready to profess his love but there's one problem: she met someone else and is getting married! So now he is her "maid of honor" and has to try and stop the wedding. Like I said, not really an original idea but it is MUCH funnier and more interesting than most of the romantic comedies I have seen. Especially with him being maid of honor, its really hilarious.

If you are looking for an original movie that hasn't been done before then this is not for you. But if you enjoy romantic comedies and want a good laugh this one is definitely worth seeing. I watched it in a group of about half and half for men and woman and 90% of the people I talked to enjoyed it. I would see it again and I would definitely recommend it to anyone, even if you don't like "chick flicks"!

Tom (Patrick Dempsey) and Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) are college friends. He's a womanizer with lots of rules, and she's willing to call him out for it. Ten years later, she's still the only one he can take to yet another one of his father's (Sydney Pollack) wedding no matter how many girls he's dated. He discovers his love for Hannah a little too late.

This is the standard paint by numbers rom-com. The problem is that neither are exceptional rom-com leads. Neither are physical comedians. Neither have shown a strong background in this genre. Patrick Dempsey takes some pratfalls, but it doesn't work for him. The only thing that truly works is an angry bridesmaid Busy Philipps.

So an outstanding script is needed to elevate this. But there isn't one coming. There are a few funny moments. The glow in the dark beads are funny. The biggest problem is that Hannah's Colin isn't douchy enough. It would work if he made all kinds of threats against Tom behind Hannah's back. They don't make him bad enough. The emotional structure isn't set up properly.

Out of the gate Made of Honor is pretty standard, with it's cliché characters and dialog. We have Patrick Dempsey's character, a womanizing playboy type who's best friend is Michelle Monaghan, a lovable and pretty friend who "accepts" Dempsey's character. Michelle Monaghan's character is out of town for a few weeks, and during this time Dempsey's character has a personal reflection period, in which he realizes he cares for Monaghan's character more than he thought, he wants to be with her. So she's back in town and they meet for dinner. Here's the kicker, it's so she can introduce Dempsey's character to her fiancé. When it comes down to it, she asks him to be her made of honor.

Now the plot is not really new, just a gender reversal of "My Best Friend's Wedding" but it's charming. The chemistry between the film's two leads is great and is the saving grace, as you really do see why Dempsey's character is fighting for. Not much else about the movie is that new, the direction is on par with the given genre, the acting is on par with the genre, and most of the jokes are that of the genre. That being said the movie isn't bad, but you certainly aren't going to walk away with the feeling you'd get from classics like "When Harry met Sally".

Not bad but, a charming On Par addition to the Romantic Comedy genre.

a modest 5 out of 10

Another romantic comedy more. There isn't much to say about this movie, in fact is not boring and the performances of Dempsey and Monaghan meet the required level to make tolerable they as a couple, but the film falls into a number of same places that we watched in other movies thats why Made of honor lost among so many films of the genre and at the end of it nothing new provides.

Neither idea is the most original or the jokes the most successful, in fact the plot falls on an abuse of sexual humor that at times results unnecessary and it only is used to start a laughter of a story that had no where to find the funny. In fact the film is the perfect movie to spend a Sunday at home with a popcorn's bag and let the brain rest from the pressures of the week. The film is simple, from start to finish, and that is his greatest success because it doesn't pretend to be what it isn't. It's only entertainment.

Okay, after 10 minutes of "Made of Honor" it is crystal clear that best friends Tom (Patrick Dempsey) and Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) are madly in love with each other, and should be together. Tom and Hannah are beautiful and good people, but apparently not smart enough to figure this out now. So we have to wait it out for the next couple hours. Yes, this is formulaic romantic comedy, and taxing one's patience. Further complicating our pain, the fleet of writers—Adam Sztykiel, Deborah Kaplan, and Harry Elfont, depict Tom and Hannah literally on paper as smart, charming, and engaging, except for this glaring blind spot. However, despite the narrative devices and clumsy direction from Paul Weiland, I was enrolled by a scene with Michelle Monaghan. As Hannah, Monaghan looks wistfully at photos of her and Tom on her cell phone. She resonates with a sense of sadness and regret. Later Dempsey as the clued in Tom implores Hannah, "Please don't marry him…"

A lot of "Made of Honor" is over wrought and contrived; however, Dempsey and Monaghan's charm make you wait it out. Dempsey is the handsome engaging player lug-head, who underneath it all has a good heart. Michelle Monaghan is radiantly beautiful, funny, and smart. She is a younger Sandra Bullock. Monaghan is humorously vulnerable as Hannah, who is smart in settling for a relationship, because she fears she can't have what she really deserves. Monaghan is amazing.

We find that Tom and Hannah (Dempsey and Monaghan) became best friends as a result of Tom's college high jinx. Today Tom is very wealthy as a result of an idea he had for a cup holder sleeve. Hannah is the passionate art curator for the museum. Tom and Hannah are best friends with killer chemistry. Hannah is Tom's go to date for his father Thomas Sr.'s (funny Sydney Pollack) numerous weddings. The count is up to 6. Even Thomas jokes to Tom, if Tom doesn't marry Hannah, he'll make her number 7. Hannah, being Tom's tolerant and patient best bud accepts Tom's one night stands with hot women. She is even versed in his rules for sleeping with the same woman on consecutive nights. Tom also has his buddies, including solid Felix (Kadeem Hardison), with whom he plays basketball. Tom seems to have the perfect life. Then following Tom's father's wedding reception, Hannah tells Tom that she has to go to Scotland for 6 weeks on business. Tom facetiously says, "What am I going to do without you?"

During her absence, Tom starts to get a clue about Hannah-- being the one. So he decides to tell Hannah, that they should be together when she returns. However, Hannah returns with great news: She has fallen in love and is getting married in 2 weeks in Scotland. The guy is Colin (dashing and charming Kevin McKidd), who is a Scottish Duke and apparently the perfect guy. Really. Tom and his crew later get a glimpse of this at a ridiculous pick up basketball game experience. Anyway, Hannah asks Tom to be her Maid of Honor. Tom accepts. His bud Felix reminds him that he can "steal the bride" from inside the wedding. Predictably the rest of the Brides Maids are annoyed with Tom, particularly Maid of Honor runner-up cousin Melissa (angry Busy Philipps), who Tom slept with once.

For the most part "Made of Honor" is by the numbers romantic comedy. It does manage a touching turn, because we really want to know why Hannah ends up choosing Colin. It is transparent to us that Colin is the perfect guy, but he is not the perfect guy for Hannah. Fortunately, Dempsey and Monaghan's charm and chemistry for the most part wins over "Maid of Honor". Sydney Pollack provides welcome comic relief and staid fatherly advice. Kathleen Quilan is great in the supporting role of Hannah's mother Joan. Too bad she doesn't have a bigger role. But she has a moving moment with Monaghan as Mom talks about Hannah's late father.

"Made of Honor" is enjoyable for what it is: cookie cutter romantic comedy. We can suspend our disbelief, because Dempsey and Monaghan are great together.