Made of Honor (2008)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Paul Weiland

Writers (WGA):

Adam Sztykiel (screenplay) and
Deborah Kaplan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

2 May 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

It takes a real man to become a maid of honor.

Plot:

A guy in love with an engaged woman tries to win her over after she asks him to be her maid of honor.

Plot Keywords:

Maid Of Honor | Wedding | Love | Engagement | Wedding Date

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Patrick Dempsey	...	Thomas 'Tom' Bailey
Michelle Monaghan	...	Hannah
Kevin McKidd	...	Colin McMurray
Kadeem Hardison	...	Felix
Chris Messina	...	Dennis
Richmond Arquette	...	Gary
Busy Philipps	...	Melissa
Whitney Cummings	...	Stephanie
Emily Nelson	...	Hilary
Kathleen Quinlan	...	Joan
Selma Stern	...	Grandma Pearl
Sydney Pollack	...	Thomas Bailey Sr.
James Sikking	...	Reverend Foote
Kevin Sussman	...	Tiny Shorts Guy
Beau Garrett	...	Gloria

Also Known As:

Made of Honour (Australia) (Hong Kong: English title) (UK)
Quiero robarme a la novia (Argentina) (Colombia) (Mexico) (Peru) (Venezuela) [es]
Brudens bäste man (Sweden) [sv]
En ægte mand (Denmark) [da]
Gelin benim olacak (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Kako ukrasti nevjestu (Croatia) [hr]
Le témoin amoureux (France) [fr]
O Melhor Amigo da Noiva (Brazil) [pt]
Padrinho... Mas Pouco (Portugal) [pt]
Pruudipoiss (Estonia) [et]
Rakastunut bestman (Finland) [fi]
Tha klepso ti nyfi (Greece) [el]
Un amore di testimone (Italy) [it]
Un amour de témoin (Canada: French title) [fr]
Verliebt in die Braut (Germany) [de]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language. (edited; originally Rated R for some sex-related material.)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

USA:R (original rating) | Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Canada:G (Québec) | Iceland:L | Australia:M | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-7 | Denmark:7 | Norway:A | Sweden:Btl | Brazil:10 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:AL | Malaysia:U | Hong Kong:IIA | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Spain:7 | Venezuela:PG-13 | Argentina:Atp | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating) (certificate #44056) | Greece:K | Peru:PT | New Zealand:M

Filming Locations:

Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures

Trivia:

Sydney Pollack's final acting role.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tom and his friend are looking in the window of the bridal shop, Tom sees his reflection in the window with the bridesmaid dress. In the window, Tom's arms and neck are bare. However, he is wearing a polo shirt with long sleeves.

Quotes:

Colin McMurray: in the scene at the gym after Colin dunks the ball, "I'm sorry, that's probably not allowed... to just stuff it in there like that."

Movie Connections:

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Soundtrack:

Stop Crying Your Heart Out

Remake of "Loverboy"?

I enjoyed Made of Honor. Often cute, quite engaging, the characters are likable, the story well-paced. There is no real bad-guy, the 'villain' is the Dempsey character's lack of self-respect, his shallow manipulation of sexual intimacies, and his failure to understand himself - or his devotion to his long-time friend.

I noticed that once the notion occurs to Tom, during Hannah's trip to Scotland, that he is in love - he stops playing around. Not 'saving himself', he is no longer interested in the no-attachment, free sex lifestyle. He develops a conscience, he focuses his energy on the object of the first girl he ever loved.

There are numerous places that show Tom turning from shallow player to being devoted and in love. His attempts to sabotage the planned wedding and regain the girl he loves are half-hearted - he knows who he has been, and wants the best for Hannah. The guy threatening his love by wanting to marry Hannah - we come to know Colin as a responsible adult, a good prospect and a good man. Perhaps a bit colorless, as seen from the point of view of the two friends, but no worse than that.

So I admire the morals of the picture, and the emotional growth of the characters. And yet ..

It strikes me that this is a rehash of Dempsey's 'Loverboy' film. Again we see Dempsey engaging in apparently consensual, shallow intimate relationships, to win the girl of his heart. I expected cameos from Kate Jackson and Tia Carrera at any time. And the similarities distracted me a bit.

But Made of Honor is better schlock than Loverboy was. And more recent. And has a horse.