Deborah Chan
The Wedding Ringer is a 2015 American buddy romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Jeremy Garelick. The film stars Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, and Kaley Cuoco and follows the story of a socially awkward Doug Harris, who is about to get married but doesn't have any friends to be his groomsmen. He hires Jimmy Callahan, played by Kevin Hart, who owns a company that provides best men for grooms in need. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, with a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was a box office success, grossing over $79 million worldwide against a $23 million budget.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy, Romance |
| Plot | A socially awkward man hires a best man for hire service two weeks before his wedding as he has no friends |
| Star Cast | Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco |
| Director | Jeremy Garelick |
| Producer | Adam Fields, Will Packer Productions, Miramax |
| Distributor | Screen Gems |
| Budget | $23 million |
| Box Office Collection | $79.8 million |
| Rating | 6.6/10 |
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 29% |
| Metacritic Score | 35/100 |
| CinemaScore | A- |
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What You'll Learn
Plot
The Wedding Ringer is an American buddy romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Jeremy Garelick. The film stars Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, and Kaley Cuoco.
The film follows Doug Harris (played by Josh Gad), a successful tax attorney who is socially awkward and has no friends to attend his wedding. With his wedding to his beloved fiancée, Gretchen Palmer, just two weeks away, Doug frantically needs a best man and groomsmen. He contacts Jimmy Callahan (played by Kevin Hart), who owns and operates Best Man Inc., a company that provides best men and groomsmen for grooms in need. Doug needs a "Golden Tux", which means seven groomsmen to match Gretchen's seven bridesmaids, and Jimmy agrees to provide them for $50,000, all expenses paid.
As the wedding approaches, an unexpected friendship develops between Doug and Jimmy, and they share wild nights of fun. To prove his worth as a best man, Jimmy takes Doug to another wedding, where the best man makes a terrible speech. After the wedding, they go for drinks and show off their dance moves. Jimmy reveals that he once gave a great best man speech for an acquaintance, which led to his career as a wedding ringer. Doug explains that he never made friends because he moved a lot with his parents, and after they died, he took over their business, which consumed his life.
At Doug's bachelor party, he is introduced to Nadia, who tries to seduce him, but he befriends her instead. A prank involving peanut butter, a dog, and a blindfolded Doug goes awry, and he has to be rushed to the hospital. On the wedding day, the family priest cancels, so Doug asks Jimmy to officiate. During the reception, Gretchen tells Jimmy that the wedding is a disaster and that she doesn't love Doug, saying she only married him because he is nice and can afford her lavish lifestyle. Doug overhears this and tells Jimmy that he can't go through with the wedding, but Jimmy dismisses his concerns. As Jimmy gives his best man speech, Doug stops him, revealing that they aren't really married as Jimmy and his groomsmen aren't who they claimed to be. Gretchen is furious that her wedding has been ruined. Doug pays Jimmy his $50,000 fee, and they accept each other's friendship.
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Critical reception
The Wedding Ringer received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 29%, with an average rating of 4.60/10, based on 113 reviews. The critical consensus on the platform states that while Kevin Hart and Josh Gad are talented comedians, their chemistry in the film was criticised. On Metacritic, the film received a score of 35 out of 100, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".
Richard Roeper gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, acknowledging the chemistry between Hart and Gad but criticising the "cockamamie premise". ABC News was more positive, giving the film 3.5/5 stars, stating that "Hart and Gad make you laugh simply by showing up. Add a moderately funny script, and The Wedding Ringer is a winner." Audiences gave the film a grade of "A−" on CinemaScore.
Despite the mixed critical reception, the film was a box office success, grossing over $79 million worldwide against a $23 million budget. The film also received several award nominations, including a 2015 MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Comedic Performance and a BET Award nomination for Best Actor.
Reviews on IMDB and Amazon are generally positive, with many praising the film for its humour and the performances of Hart and Gad. Some viewers found the film predictable but still entertaining, with one reviewer calling it "one of the better comedies to come out in a while". Others criticised the film for its portrayal of women and its treatment of marriage and weddings.
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Casting
The Wedding Ringer is a 2015 American buddy romantic comedy film starring Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, and Kaley Cuoco. The film was directed and co-written by Jeremy Garelick and produced by Adam Fields, Will Packer Productions, and Miramax.
Kevin Hart plays Jimmy Callahan, the owner of Best Man Inc., a company that provides best man services for grooms who don't have enough friends for their wedding. Josh Gad plays Doug Harris, a socially awkward tax attorney who is two weeks away from marrying his fiancée, Gretchen Palmer. Doug doesn't have any close friends to be his groomsmen, so he hires Jimmy and his team to provide best man services for his wedding.
In addition to Hart and Gad, the film also stars Kaley Cuoco, who plays Gretchen Palmer, Doug's fiancée. Other cast members include Joe Namath, John Riggins, and Ed "Too Tall" Jones as themselves, and P.J. the Waiter.
The film was originally set in Chicago but was rewritten for Los Angeles after the producers won a $2.8 million California tax credit. Filming took place in Santa Monica and Marina del Rey, California, over the course of 38 days in the fall of 2013.
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Box office performance
The Wedding Ringer, a comedy starring Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, and others, was released in theatres in North America on 16 January 2015. The film grossed $20.6 million in its opening weekend, finishing second at the box office behind American Sniper. The Wedding Ringer grossed $64.5 million in North America and $15.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $79.8 million against a budget of $23 million.
The film's release date was pushed from 6 February 2015 to 16 January 2015, to capitalise on the success of Kevin Hart's comedy Ride Along, which had performed well during the previous year's MLK weekend. The Wedding Ringer was also promoted through a college tour by Kevin Hart, who encouraged students to tweet about the film.
The Wedding Ringer was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 28 April 2015.
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Soundtrack
The Wedding Ringer features an eclectic mix of songs that accompany the film's comedic moments and romantic scenes. The soundtrack, which was released in 2015, includes a variety of artists and musical styles.
The Black Eyed Peas, for instance, bring their signature blend of pop and hip-hop to the film with a song courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corporation and Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing. The soundtrack also includes a song written by Aloe Blacc, DJ Khalil, Chin Injeti, and Daniel Tannenbaum, who are known for their soulful and rhythmic sounds.
Additionally, the soundtrack features a range of classical pieces, such as Frédéric Chopin's "Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 in D-Flat Major ('Raindrop') (Sostenuto)" and Henryk Wieniawski's "Scherzo-tarantelle in G Minor, Op. 16". These classical pieces add a sense of elegance and emotion to the film's most memorable moments.
Another notable inclusion is B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone", a blues classic that sets the tone for a more intimate and heartfelt scene in the film. The Cowsills' "The Rain, The Park & Other Things (Single Version)" also makes an appearance, bringing a touch of nostalgia and a light-hearted vibe to the proceedings.
The Wedding Ringer's soundtrack has something for everyone, with its blend of contemporary and classic songs that enhance the film's comedic and romantic themes, providing a memorable auditory experience for viewers.
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Frequently asked questions
'The Wedding Ringer' is a comedy about a man who hires a best man and groomsmen for his wedding because he doesn't have any friends.
'The Wedding Ringer' stars Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, and Kaley Cuoco.
'The Wedding Ringer' was released in North American theatres on January 16, 2015.
'The Wedding Ringer' received generally negative reviews from critics, with a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 35 out of 100 on Metacritic. However, it was a box office success, grossing over $79 million against a $23 million budget.
