Amidst the dark musicals and over-the-top Hollywood blockbusters now plaguing the theaters, there is little room for a film that encompasses nothing more than a pleasant two-hour romp.
\The Wedding Date,"" is far from intellectually challenging, and is filled with flaws, but it offers a guilty pleasure that is simply fun to watch.
Kat Ellis (Debra Messing), in trepidation of an encounter with an ex who unexpectedly left her at the altar, hires Nick Mercer (Dermot Mulroney) to escort her to her sister's impending wedding.
Nick, a top-of-the-line gigolo, gives Kat more than just his companionship however-he offers up valuable romantic philosophies that eventually spark a deeper affection into their originally professional relationship.
""Date"" represents a rather poor combination of ""Four Weddings and a Funeral"" intermixed with ""Pretty Woman.""
Sadly, this movie simply reinforces why Debra Messing is still starring in television sitcoms and can't fortify her place on the big screen-and brings into question if she even has the capability of playing a character with the remotest of depth.
Messing seems almost predestined to play the ""insecure single woman"" bit, since she has been typecast into the role of quirky yet gauche working female.
This personality works well on the small screen and makes her extremely likeable on ""Will and Grace."" However, this persona seems forced and awkward on film.
Instead of quirky, the audience gets a high-strung and stressed mess of a woman who at times turns this light-hearted comedy into a tragedy.
Aside from Messing and the onslaught of supporting characters who fit too perfectly into their stereotypical roles brought about by ""Date's"" overused formula, Mulroney charismatically lifts the movie from romantic comedy oblivion.
With his Don Juan demeanor, Mulroney is able to instill chemistry into his relationship with the otherwise blas?? Messing, and if nothing else gives the female audience some marvelous eye candy throughout the film.
Clare Kilner, director of the equally forgettable Mandy Moore epic ""How To Deal,"" tries to throw some unexpected surprises and plot twists into the mix and fails.
Kilner does create an increasingly complicated and unrealistic relationship between Messing and Mulroney, one that's constantly punctuated by their oscillations between love and hate, without settling definitely on either.
Kat and Nick do not have the only confusing relationship-there exist so many messed up couplings it sometimes becomes confusing. On top of the main relationship there is an ongoing tension between Kat and her parents that goes unexplored, while Kat's brother-in-law-to-be and Nick suddenly become lifelong friends with little prior interaction.
""The Wedding Date,"" is a deeply flawed movie-many parts just do not add up. With that being said, as far as sappy romantic comedies go, it is a fun one.
It does provide a few heartening laughs, and beautiful shots of the English countryside that save it from being completely worthless.
Approach ""The Wedding Date"" with low expectations, and, it should be rather enjoyable.
