Le témoin amoureux

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.

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.

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

Here is lighthearted entertainment for an enjoyable evening at the movies. Columbia Pictures tries to reignite the romantic comedy genre with this frothy piece. Made of Honor is nice picture to watch but somehow the whole exercise seems forced and one can only think of what could of been if the script was just a bit stronger...and the direction too. The movie takes way too long to get moving and doesn't know where to end....the final scene is tacked on.

It's hard not to give away plot points since this film seems glued together from bits and pieces of 1960's comedies as well as things you've watching on the Lifetime Network. Still it is fun. And Made of Honor is a lot more enjoyable than Baby Mama which is just a long...very long...skit from Saturday Night Live.

Patrick Dempsey looks good on the big screen but seems a bit lifeless. Do we really need scenes where characters discuss how pretty Dempsey is? He also looks a bit long in the tooth for the age he is supposed to be playing. But looks real good in a mini-kilt. On the other hand, Michelle Monaghan is enchanting and lights up the screen every time she appears. The audience falls in love with her. Other characters come and go as the plot line dictates. The three bride maids seem like a missed opportunity for comedy. The mother of the bride suddenly pops in...and out just as fast.

Made of Honor tries too hard to be something that is not in its DNA: an adult comedy. Attn Columbia: there is nothing wrong with making a nice movie. Why junk it up? Several bits are quite vulgar and add nothing to the plot. An example: Grandma Pearl wearing a necklace of thunder beads and several tacky references to Dempsey's character being gay.

In many places the cinematography is incredible - especially shots of the Scotish countryside. Almost too good for this film, it gives the film the look of a fairy tale come true. A big negative is the pop rock soundtrack that is overbearing and I would imagine exists only to have a soundtrack album.

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.