Another teenage movie opens, youngsters rush into theatres, some get out in the first ten minutes of the movie, while others talk for days about various scenes. To cut the long story short, beauty is in the eye of the beholder in all domains, including cinema.

This week-end has a surprise for those love movies fans we’ve mentioned: another romantic story opens in the US theatres, “Made of Honor.” Boy discovers that he loves girl, but ding-dong the wedding bells ring and he hasn’t much time to make her acknowledge he is the one for her.

Directed by Paul Weiland, and co-written by debutant Adam Sztykiel and Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont, “Made of Honor” is the best reminder of “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” except that the protagonists are switched in this production. As deja-vu-s cannot last 101 minutes, the average moviegoer will (and should) go to the cinema ready to make allowances for every scene that bears any resemblance to any other romantic movie previously seen.

This romance’s protagonists are Tom (Patrick Dempsey) and Hannah (Michelle Monaghan), two career people linked by a platonic friendship dating back in college. The viewers are familiarized with the circumstances in which the two met: at a college party when Tom, wearing a Bill Clinton mask, mistakes Hannah for her room mate Monica. Though embarrassing, those circumstances were the foundation of a ten-year friendship.

Things don’t appear too altered in their essence ten years from that moment. Tom is still a serial womanizer, jumping from bed to bed and biding to some weird dating rules, while Hannah minds her own business, restoring Renaissance paintings at the Metropolitan Museum. Tom’s a millionaire, the ‘mastermind’ behind the paper-cup sleeve or the “coffee collar,” Hannah is his loyal friend who listens to him talking about his hookups, while rolling her eyes.

Their friendship, even though far from credible, is charming. Their getting together every Sunday, their long talks and empathy, all those make them seem like an old married couple. It is only when Hannah leaves for six weeks in Scotland for a business trip that Tom finally realizes that he is head over heels in love with her.

Tom is determined to come clean about his feelings for her and to overcome his commitment phobia, when he learns, to his great disappointment, that Hannah didn’t return alone as he expected. Besides a huge diamond ring on her finger, a gorgeous fiancé accompanied her, Colin (Kevin McKidd). Tom decides to postpone his confession, but is also faced with the ‘honor’ of being Hannah’s bride “maid.”

All of them leave for Scotland to prepare for the wedding that is due to take place at one of Colin’s families (yes, he has many) and Tom hopes to come up with a strategy to win Hannah back.

How the story ends? We have no intention of spilling the beans, but it’s a love story, what do you expect?

“Made of Honor” has its funny moments, too, like the scenes when Tom’s rich father (played by Sydney Pollack) cannot tell for sure if he is about to marry for the sixth or the seventh time.

Even though it is not a must-see movie, “Made of Honor” is an appealing way of spending a rainy dull afternoon or a means of celebrating one’s love with the silver screen romantic story.     

Movie Type:Comedy
MPAA Rating:PG-13 for sexual content and language.
Directed By: Paul Weiland
Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Beau Garrett, Michelle Monaghan, Sydney Pollack, Kadeem Hardison
Released: May 2nd, 2008 (wide)