Mariage et pièce montée

Director Nisha Ganatra and writer Tassie Cameron seem to have most of their experience in TV movies so this little slice of the industry is a change for them. Would that it were wholly successful because it seems as though both had a fine idea for something to say but just didn't know how to make it work. And again, blame the PR folks for making a cover for the DVD that not only seems silly, it has little to do with the story inside.

Pippa McGee (Heather Graham) is a travel writer, a hedonist, and an independent woman who avoids relationships like the plague. The film starts with a goofus dash for a wedding in which she is once again a bridesmaid on the run. After the ceremony she jokes with her best friend Lulu (Sandra Oh) who is equally against long term relationships beyond a quick shag, and she also meets one Ian (David Sutcliffe - Under the Tuscan Sun, Testosterone, Happy Endings etc), a handsome if shy young man who though attracted to Pippa, sees her as dangerous territory.

Pippa soon discovers that her father Malcolm McGee (Bruce Gray), a wealthy successful owner of a magazine conglomerate, is ill, has a heart attack, and though the father and daughter have had a negligible relationship, Pippa offers her help. Of course, her assignment is to be editor of 'Wedding Bells' magazine her departed mother started, and Pippa takes on the epitome of everything she loathes about relationships and marriage and tries to make a go of it. She discovers that Ian is her father's vice president and thus in charge of her new and loathed assignment. Pippa partners with the handsome magazine photographer Hemingway Jones (Taye Diggs), has a fling, and becomes close friends and partners in an attempt to change the look of the wedding magazine. There are far too many subplots to discuss, but suffice it to say that changes occur in the personalities of everyone involved and the ending, while entirely predictable, has enough humor and warmth to make a good evening out of a shaky story.

Heather Graham handles her 'challengingly bad' role with great aplomb: she is a delight to watch. The remainder of the cast does their best with the lines they're given. This is a bit of fluff, aimed at the 'chick flick' devotees, but it has its moments. Grady Harp, July 06

A Freelancing Directionless rich kid is faced with a huge problem, his father is ill and no one is ready to take over the company apparently other than HER. There she tries to bring down the company only to discover that it might be on its last legs.

Ok, this starts horrendously. Nothing really beats a romcom than the most insufferable characterization. Heather Graham's Pippa is a bottom pit person. She is so full of herself that it was so grating. I actually wanted to stop midway how awful she comes off. Graham, as an actress, did not even instinctively tried to make her character at least likable. She just read her lines.

Also, The logical leaps on this one is horrendous. Firstly, there is no reason for her to lead the company. David Sutcliffe's character literally can lead AND is willing to lead. Her action from the start has no sensible reason - especially since she knows what company this is AND also her trying to get it with the photographer is such a icky line crossed especially since she is a boss.

It did get better though. I think once the idea that she actually needs to work for the company is set in motion, at least certain level of likability is achieved in this film. It also makes a lot of her problems at least baked well into the narrative. Its not top notch rom-com by any means but David Sutcliffe (Gilmore Girl Chris fame) and Graham has a certain chemistry in it. It lifts the film on a certain level.

Still not recommended. Very rough start.

Romantic comedies usually suck, but I have to admit I was very touched by this film which I randomly got to see at a test screening in Santa Monica. Heather Graham was excellent (yeah, she really was...maybe she can actually act...strange, huh?), the supporting cast is HILARIOUS (HELLO!!!! Sandra Oh, Cheryl Hines, Sarah Chalke and Taye Diggs -- how has this never been in the theater near me?? I keep looking...where the heck is it?), and the story was really sweet and fun. Who doesn't like the idea of a girl choosing between two great looking guys? I don't think it's the best script ever, but the pacing was good, the acting was good, the shots looked nice, and I loved the ending. Very feel good. With heart. Totally worth seeing.

Pippa McGee (Heather Graham) is a globe-trotting travel writer. She comes home to be her friend Jane's bridesmaid along with best friend Lulu (Sandra Oh). When her father has a heart attack, she has to take over his magazine Wedding Bells. It's the last magazine she's likely to read and she dismisses marriage. She has a love triangle with photographer Hemingway Jones (Taye Diggs) and her father's right hand man Ian Grey (David Sutcliffe).

This feels and looks more like a TV movie. The bridal magazine world looks unreal. Heather Graham is not good rom-com material. She's flailing around in this movie. None of it is funny. The romantic chemistry isn't there. This is the most disappointing because these are really beautiful human specimens. This is a traditional rom-com done poorly.

Heather Graham stars in this pretty pink lace bow of a movie, alternately flashing her pearly white smile and puppy dog eyes from scene to scene. One gets the feeling that watching the straight-to-DVD release with you are thousands of sorority girls braiding each other's hair while wearing fluffy animal slippers and pretending to cry.

Graham plays Pippa McGee (a movie name if there ever was one), a free spirit (slut) with a penchant for impulsive decisions (one night stands) and globe hopping adventures (inability to commit). We get the prerequisite explanations for her issues: A mother who died when she was a teenager; A distant father who is too hard on her; A group of friends who have an unspoken pact to remain independent and strong without the help of a man.

Pippa returns from one of her freelance adventure trips to find her father on the verge of a heart-attack and in need of someone to help run one of his magazines... Surprise, surprise... It is a bridal magazine named 'Wedding Bells'. And isn't that just the dream job for girls who wear pink pajamas? Needless to say, the magazine causes her problems being that she stands for everything that the magazine condemns. Her first issue is an unqualified disaster.

Then, as per screen writing 101, she meets two guys who will inevitably form the other two corners of the film's love triangle. Taye Diggs plays the studly photographer who shares Pippa's love for non-committal sex and fun. David Sutcliffe plays the straight-laced business man who wants more from Pippa than a quickie in the hot-tub.

I am one of the biggest romantics you'll meet, but even I have nothing but respect for singles who feel that marriage is a ludicrous institution that is either ultimately doomed to fail or descend into a comfortable acceptance of routine and safe boredom. This film seems to be championing the notion that women shouldn't feel the need to 'find a man' in order to feel complete. But the final act pulls the rug from under that notion and the movie fizzles into a standard rom-com riddled with "You Go Girlfriend" scenes and cheesy b-grade love songs.

Now... I think that Heather Graham is utterly underrated as an actress because of a few choice roles as the quintessential ditzy blonde with big boobs. But she has actually been far better than people give her credit for in films like "Boogie Nights", "Two Girls & a Guy", "Sidewalks of New York", "Swingers" & "The Guru". She is quite easily capable of carrying a film with energy and charisma. She is even good in this fluffy film despite having little to work with in terms of a script.

I liked the pace of the film. I thought Heather was fun to watch. The romances are cutesy, if not substantive. The 'friends' are amusing from time to time, led by the always refreshing Sandra Oh (Sideways) and Sarah Chalke (Scrubs). Diggs and Sutcliffe are nice counterpoints to one another. And the overall production was colorfully distracting enough to merit a passable grade. But there isn't anything here to really chew on... well hardly anything. "Cake" is a high-school cheerleader's wet dream of what life might become. I say we let her have that dream before she gets knocked up by the college senior who will dump her, leaving her to drop out of school as a single mom applying for a job at Taco Bell.

TC Candler IndependentCritics.com