Starring Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan. Written by Adam Sztykiel,
Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont. Directed by Paul Weiland. (PG) 101 min.
Opens May 2.
This romantic comedy is clearly designed to be a star vehicle for Patrick Dempsey, but the question is, which Patrick Dempsey? Is it the suave and McDreamy modern-day incarnation made famous on Grey’s Anatomy? Or is it the less respectable yet more energetic version who starred in such steady renters of the late ’80s as Loverboy, Can’t Buy Me Love and Meatballs III? While Made of Honor starts out by favouring the former (in other words, he gets his shirt off and smiles a lot), it’s the latter who seems better suited to the movie’s crass and generally wearisome antics.
Dempsey plays Tom, a wealthy Manhattanite womanizer who realizes that he should be with gal pal Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) only after she’s fallen for hunk-with-brogue Colin (Kevin McKidd). In the lead-up to the wedding in Scotland, Tom exploits his unusual position in the bridal party in order to scupper the nuptials.
The proceedings strive hard to charm but rarely succeed. Given director Paul Weiland’s pedigree as a director of Mr. Bean for TV, it’s surprising that the slapstick is so poorly staged. No better are the hoary old jokes about Scottish food and caber tossing, or the dirtier ones about glow-in-the-dark sex toys. Apparently unsure of which Dempsey he’s required to be, the star mostly flounders, failing to create much chemistry with Monaghan no matter how many times he flashes those soft blue eyes.