The Wedding Date- DVD Review

What makes a romantic comedy work? Cleary the two components seem to revolve around romance and laughter. Neither of these essential ingredients come to The Wedding Date. What it comes down to is that Debra Messing and Dermont Mulroney just don't have the necessary chemistry to make this Pretty Man work. In fact, Messing has moved into the unenviable spot of being typecast. Whether it is her actual self, or that of her TV character on Will & Grace Messing seems to have only one personality.

Kat (Messing) is a single woman who needs a date for her sister’s wedding in London. Her ex-fiance is the best man and she needs a date to survive the event. Nick (Mulroney) is the escort that she pays $6,000 plus expenses to accompany her. Her family is difficult at best, and Kat finds comfort in Nick, who charms everyone, leaving Kat to wonder if these are genuine feelings.

Ignoring a little thing called character development, in the first thirty seconds of the film, a phone message from Nick to Kat sets up the entire plot of the film. It almost feels like the filmmakers took into account that you have probably seen the previews and don't need the inevitable build-up. The Wedding Date takes the stance that you know what this movie is about so they might as well jump right in. That might be a good idea in theory, but the application of this has two problems. One, you don't have any time to really get to know Kat. There is nothing charming about her unless you love Debra Messing. Perhaps the more glaring problem is the movie clocks in at an unbelievably short 78 minutes. There is a good chance you will never see another major film this short. Sadly, even with this length, the film seems drawn out. It's as if director Clare Kilner took every scene and said, "let’s shoot this again, but slower."

Messing is a second fiddle in Will & Grace outshined by the supporting actors, especially in the comedy department. In The Wedding Date Messing has no other fiddle. Fiddleless. Mulroney attempts to charm, but it just doesn't seem like a role he is naturally built for, excelling at quirky supporting characters but not leads. The rest of the cast is forgettable. There are no laugh-out-loud moments. When someone asks where Kat found Nick, you know her reply before she says, "the yellow pages." And the moment where Nick tells Kat he is attracted to her hope, you must seriously question where he saw hope in such a negative, boring character.

At one sad point, Kat says her mood is nothing a bottle of jack and a razor can't fix. The dark comedic line is terribly out of place in comparison, but you get the sense that maybe there was a good movie hidden if they went dark. After all, the world of escort/prostitution is not normally rainbows and lollipops, unless that's what you're into.

The extras on the DVD are all about Messing. She is the only one who contributes on the commentary track which at times just means you listen to her giggle during unfunny moments. She also talks about the film in a mock interview. The deleted scenes should have been left in the film. For a movie so short it couldn't have hurt. Then again, maybe one shouldn't complain about a bad movie that doesn't take up too much of your day.

The Wedding Date is the perfect example of a good idea with no thought for the application. A situation comedy with just the situation. The two leads are terribly underdeveloped and you are genuinely shocked when and how they choose to fall in love. What doesn't make a romantic comedy work? Check out The Wedding Date for a good example.