Film Reviews

Made of Honour

• Rating:
• Director: Paul Weiland
• Starring: Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Busy Phillips, Kevin McKidd
• Details: US / UK / 101mins (15A)

Patrick Dempsey has his second theatrical romantic comedy release a few months after Enchanted packed them in before Christmas. This time the former '80s starlet plays suave man-about-town Tom, whose hobbies include hanging out with his basketball-playing buddies, antique shopping with hot best friend Hannah (Monaghan), and partaking in promiscuous activities with a different broad every night. But when Hannah goes to Scotland to work for six weeks, he realises she's the one for him; only for her to return home with fresh meat in tow that she intends to marry - and she wants Tom to be her Maid of Honour! Although it sounds mildly wacky, proceedings here are very much in line with what you'd expect, having seen the trailer. It's basically My Best Friend's Wedding, but with a dude in the Julia Roberts role. Sure, it's inoffensive and even enjoyable in parts, but you've seen this so many times before, it'd be inexcusable to fork over nine quid, unless you just want to see Dempsey topless. Films like 27 Dresses are rendered watchable by the exceptional charisma of their leads; and while Dempsey and Monaghan are more than capable, a lack of flair from director Weiland, a recycled set- up and a script that doesn't so much follow convention as embrace it like it was just released from a POW camp, makes it tough for them to connect with their characters. It is good to actually see Dempsey attempt to act again though, and while you can hardly blame him for moving into habitual romantic mode after years of struggling to be noticed despite his obvious talent, headlining the likes of this is merely pandering to his female fan base who want to see McDreamy in a slightly different guise. Monaghan, meanwhile, is an excellent actress, but has nothing of any noteworthy interest to do here other than look ponderous, then overly happy. Not altogether awful - but if it's a choice between this or Forgetting Sarah Marshall on date night, fight tooth and nail for the latter.

Review by Mike Sheridan