Il mio finto fidanzato

MJH is one of those actresses who rarely gets big hits but always delivers a watchable performance, often rescuing films that would otherwise be pretty missable. Here she looks less cutesy than in previous years but is still full of character.

The script is unoriginal and the situations formulaic but there are some funny moments. The Monkey and his henchmen with their 'green' credentials are actually quite amusing. Lawrence never convinces as a leading man, even if he does look like the love-child of Vin Diesel and Brad Pitt.

If you're a fan of Hart then this won't disappoint, but don't expect to be splitting your sides.

Jennifer (Melissa Joan Hart) is sick and tired of being stuck at the single loser table at her friends' weddings. She clashes with perpetually single Vince (Joseph Lawrence) who owes gambling debt to The Monkey. She uses all of her savings to put a down payment for a new house. Somebody steals her moving van and she has an empty home. While looking to replace her stuff, a sales clerk mistakes her for a bride. That leads her to a scheme to get free stuff as wedding gifts with the help of the annoying Vince. They plan a wedding and elope at the last minute.

These two lead characters are real head scratchers. I do like MJH and Joey Lawrence as TV actors. Their argumentative banter is good sitcom material but they're a pathetic duo. They wear thin after awhile. These characters don't grow on me despite the likable TV actors. The sitcom writing never improves much. It takes a long time before they develop deeper characteristics.

I was watching this last night while trying to avoid actually finishing my American Lit homework, and I have to say, while it is a romantic comedy, and we all know how predictable they are, this one was actually pretty clever. Every turn I knew what was going to happen, but the filmmakers made it in such a way that you forgot that it was being predictable, and I think that's what succeeded for it. It will most likely never join the ranks of "When Harry Met Sally" or "10 Things I hate About You" in terms of romantic comedy classics, but standing on its own, it was an endearing film that shows that when you marry, you're not marrying one other person, you're marrying their entire family. It is a family movie, but all in all, a cute one.

We've all seen this plot before, the girl gets a guy to pretend to be her boyfriend and eventually falls for him. But the way this movie portrays it is both refreshing and entertaining. There are no dull moments, with smart humour and just enough chick-flick romance to keep fans of those interested but not so much that everyone else gets tired. Hart and Lawrence are a hilarious duo. Their characters are so much alike in their cynical sense of humour that they keep the scenes moving with witty dialogue. I will admit, the guys Vince owes money to aren't tough enough to be really believable, but then again real gangsters would be slightly disturbing in a light-hearted movie like this. Great watch, too bad it was a made-for-TV, it's much better than many on the big screen.

Jennifer (Melissa Joan Hart) is miffed to be attending another friend's wedding. She has spent a fortune on gifts and new shoes, besides the humiliation of not being married or attached herself. Now in her thirties, Jenn does have a good job and has saved enough for her first house. But, hold the phone, folks meet their matches at weddings, no? Well, not today! Jenn finds herself at the same table as Vince (Joseph "Joey" Lawrence) who has a fresh mouth and a crumpled suit. Also, as he receives a telephone call at the reception, Jenn learns that he is a compulsive gambler, too, with big debts. Ugh. But, with no one else to converse with, Jenn and Vince soon get on a discussion of how much each of them has forked over for gifts for their pals. Soon, a brilliant idea is hatched. The new duo of Jenn and Vince will get engaged, plan a wedding, score some great gifts and cash then call it off at the last minute. No one really wants their purchases back anyway, right? As the couple begin to cement their plans, they must meet often and introduce each other to their extended families. Could it be that a fake fiancé might turn into the genuine article? This very cute fractured fairy tale of a romcom will delight fans. Hart is certainly becoming the champion of such stuff while Lawrence is not far behind. Both are attractive and funny performers who entertain their target audiences well. Also, the supporting cast is very capable, especially Steven Shirraripa as the mobster in control of Vince's bad habits. Sets, costumes, script, and direction are typical but more than adequate. Gals or any fans of these films, go search for this one soon. I got mine on a wonderful four volume disc with three other nice ABC family films.