There are some people who just cannot get enough of love
stories, just as others cannot get enough of kung-fu movies, to the great
surprise of their friends and the rest of moviegoers.
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)
