Made of Honor (2008)

Patrick Dempsey makes his full transition to romantic-comedy stardom in Made of Honor, flashing those winning dimples and twinkly baby blues to full fetching effect. The camera truly loves him, and his considerable affable charm calls to mind early Hugh Grant, winsome even in utter confusion. Dempsey plays Tom, a nice guy but a serial dater with a girlfriend in every zip code of New York; Michelle Monaghan is Hannah, Tom's BFF since college, who's decided she wants marriage and family. When she becomes unexpectedly engaged to Colin (Journeyman's Kevin McKidd, rather McDreamy himself), Tom realizes what the viewer's known all along--that Hannah is in fact his dream woman. It's When Harry Met Sally... meets My Best Friend's Wedding--but thankfully, Dempsey's Tom is far more sympathetic than Julia Roberts' snide schemer. The plot isn't exactly full of surprises, but the cast--and their amazing chemistry--are so winning that the film makes for the perfect date movie. Not only are all three leads charming in their own way, but the rich cinematography manages to make both Manhattan and the Scottish countryside look like glorious edens, one urban, one windswept. Monaghan is a revelation, quietly lovely as a young Carla Bruni, but with a flinty gumption that makes her all the more appealing. The supporting cast is rich, too, especially Sydney Pollack as Tom's serially marrying dad. (At his dad's fifth--or is it sixth?--wedding, Tom's new arm-candy "stepmom" gets tipsy and overly affectionate with guests as her new husband looks on fondly: "Ah... drunk as the night I first met her.") But at the core of the film are its big heart, and the connection between Tom and Hannah, deep and wide whether they end up just best friends or more. And the delight for viewers is knowing they'll be just as glowy either way.-- A.T. Hurley

Stills from Made of Honor (click for larger image)

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Crass, Unoriginal, Snarky, Unfunny

What do you get when you copy "My Best Friend's Wedding," take out all of the joy and originality, add in senseless sex jokes, crass story telling, unoriginal plot points and horrible shoddy filming as well as a thrown-together-cast of actors who seem to not tell where they are? Well, you get "Made of Honor."

Not only did this movie let my wife and me down, it offended, it ridiculed and it made us feel like we were foolish as a public, that we would lap up whatever drivel they threw together.

I'm sorry to say that Dempsey's charm couldn't save this train wreck of a movie. Did I mention how unfunny and unoriginal it was? August 22, 2008

awesome movie

well i really liked the story line. it was a little bit like my best friends wedding August 21, 2008

Formulaic: Still, Charming On-Screen Chemistry Between the Stars

Romantic chemistry between the two stars Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan almost makes up for the lack of originality in "Made of Honor," which looks like a cross between "My Best Friend's Wedding" and any romantic comedies made since "When Harry Met Sally..." Certainly the storyline is generic and predictable, and the gags are only mildly funny or just forgettable, but luckily the film has the charming performances from leads Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan, who play the two likable characters Tom and Hannah.

In "Made of Honor" Patrick Dempsey is Tom, a rich lady's man living comfortably in New York City. Tom realizes that Hannah, his best friend of long standing, is the right person for him only after she announces her engagement to Colin (Kevin McKidd), a handsome and good-natured Scottish aristocrat (this part reminds us of Hugh Grant and "Four Wedding and a Funeral").

The film could have used more effectively the unique situation of Tom, who is asked by Hannah to be her "maid of honor," but instead director Paul Weiland (who did a much better job in "Roseanna's Grave") relies on jokes and sight gags for comedic effect including a fat lady in her tight dress or an old lady wearing a "toy" that glows in the dark. None of them is really funny to me except Patrick Dempsey's plate juggling (he actually does). Tom is put in a situation like Julia Roberts' heroine in "My Best Friend's Wedding," but there is no memorable supporting character like Rupert Everett with his gentle humor.

It is hard to dislike "Made of Honor," just as it is hard to dislike Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan in this formulaic romantic comedy. They deserve a much better story than this, though. August 15, 2008

Bring over the popcorn & wine we've got girls night top pick!

Cute formula, romantic flick that is a step above most of the films in this gendre. You won't find any surprises in this text book romantic comedy but the chemistry of the cast make this a fun movie. This was my 1'st time seeing Patrick Dempsey and WOW...... he's engaging.

It's a great girl night or date movie. I skipped this movie in theaters because it got bad reviews but I'm sorry I did. The only negative thing I can say about it is that I personally dislike this formula: the grand wedding-interuptis scene & the woman exchanges a dream guy for the guy who in real life would be a relationship disaster of nuclear proportions.

Even though I'm not a fan of the formula I am a fan of the movie and will watch it again. Honestly, videos are cheap and this one is worth tucking in next to "Sleeping n Seattle", "When Harry met Sally", etc.
August 11, 2008

useless - why oh why do they still sell "fullscreen"???

I was one click away from ordering (surely the default issuance in this day & age is widescreen), but then I figured I'd better check.

Whaddya know??? This stupid version only comes in "fullscreen" (i.e. with the sides chopped off) - which on my TV means that do one of the following undesirable solutions - 1) I chop off yet more of the top & bottom of the picture, 2) distort the picture (make everyone look short & fat) to make it fit, or 3) watch a little picture in the middle of the screen with bright white bands on both sides (definitely a mood killer). Why would I pay $18 for that?????

Surely the number of non-wide screens still out there is dwindling sufficiently as to make this issuance mystifying . . .

Oh, and it's not that great a movie, but I do like the scenes of Scotland . . . August 5, 2008

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