The Wedding Date: Critics' Verdict

The 2005 romantic comedy film The Wedding Date received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 11% and is described as shopworn, bland, and lightweight. Metacritic gave the film an average score of 32 out of 100, indicating generally unfavorable reviews. However, audiences polled by CinemaScore gave it a more positive grade of B. The film grossed $47 million worldwide, with $31.7 million in the US and Canada and $15.4 million in other territories.

The Wedding Date's critical reception

The 2005 romantic comedy "The Wedding Date" received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 11% based on 142 reviews, with an average rating of 3.9/10. The critical consensus on the site calls the film "shopworn, bland, and lightweight." Metacritic, another review aggregator, gave the film a weighted average score of 32 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews."

Critics were not impressed by the film's script, acting, and character development. One review from the Herald Sun called the film "stale as last week's wedding cake", noting that it was missing character chemistry, a clever script, [and] engaging acting. Another review from Common Sense Media described the film as having a "script as stale as last week's wedding cake", with "dull" and "insensitive" writing. The review also criticised the film's characters, particularly Kat Ellis, the protagonist, who is described as "flighty, self-centred, and insecure."

Despite the negative reviews, some viewers enjoyed the film. User reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and Amazon are more positive, with some praising the film as "funny and unusual" and "amusing." One user review on Amazon noted that the film had "amazing" music, and another stated that they quite liked this movie.

The film's plot

The Wedding Date is a 2005 American romantic comedy film directed by Clare Kilner and starring Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, and Amy Adams. The film is based on the 2002 novel Asking for Trouble by Elizabeth Young.

The film follows Kat Ellis (Messing), a single New Yorker who returns to her parents' house in London for her younger half-sister Amy's (Adams) wedding. The groom's best man is Kat's ex-fiancé, Jeffrey (Jeremy Sheffield), who unexpectedly dumped her two years ago. Anxious about confronting him and eager to impress, Kat hires a suave male escort, Nick Mercer (Mulroney), to pose as her boyfriend and make Jeffrey jealous.

As the wedding festivities unfold, Kat's plan to dupe her ex takes an unexpected turn. She discovers that Nick is more than just a charming escort, and finds herself falling for him. However, the night before the wedding, Kat learns a shocking secret—Amy had slept with Jeffrey when they were still together, and he dumped Kat because of his feelings for Amy. Nick had known about this betrayal but kept it from Kat, leading her to feel betrayed by both her sister and Nick. Hurt and confused, Kat pushes Nick away, and he decides to return to America, leaving her the money she had paid him.

On the wedding day, Kat's step-father notices her distress and asks her if Nick is the one for her. Realizing her true feelings, Kat sets out to find Nick. Meanwhile, Amy confesses her betrayal to her fiancé, Ed, but professes her love for him. Upset, Ed chases Jeffrey out of the church and expresses his anger. Jeffrey defends his actions, but Ed reveals the truth about his engagement to Kat, exposing Jeffrey's wrongdoings.

Nick comes to Ed's aid, offering him a ride and some wise words. They discuss love, and Ed decides his love for Amy outweighs his anger. Nick and Ed return to the church, with Nick as the new best man. Before the ceremony, Nick confesses his feelings to Kat, and they share a passionate kiss, marking the beginning of their real relationship.

The film explores themes of love, family dynamics, jealousy, and forgiveness. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances of the lead actors but criticized the film for being formulaic and lightweight. Despite this, "The Wedding Date" grossed $47.2 million worldwide, providing a light and enjoyable romantic comedy for its audience.

The movie's cast

The Wedding Date is an American romantic comedy film released in 2005. It was directed by Clare Kilner and is based on the 2002 novel Asking for Trouble by Elizabeth Young. The movie stars Debra Messing as Kat Ellis, a single woman who hires a male escort to pose as her boyfriend at her sister's wedding.

The cast of The Wedding Date includes:

• Dermot Mulroney as Nick Mercer, the male escort hired by Kat.
• Amy Adams as Amy Ellis, Kat's younger half-sister who is getting married.
• Jeremy Sheffield as Jeffrey, Kat's ex-fiancé who is the best man at the wedding.
• Jack Davenport as Edward Fletcher-Wooten, the groom and Amy's fiancé.
• Sarah Parish as TJ, Kat's cousin.
• Peter Egan as Victor Ellis, Kat's stepfather.
• Holland Taylor as Bunny Ellis, Kat's mother.

The film also features performances by actors such as Jolyon James, George Asprey, C. Gerod Harris, Martin Barrett, Jay Simon, Danielle Lewis, Ivana Horvat, and Linda Dobell.

Soundtrack and score

The soundtrack and score of "The Wedding Date" (2005) include a variety of songs from different artists, enhancing the romantic comedy's light and enjoyable vibe.

The film's soundtrack features an eclectic mix of music, including:

• "Breathless" by The Corrs, written by Andrea Corr, Caroline Corr, Jim Corr, Sharon Corr, and Mutt Lange (as Robert Lange).
• "Serenade for Lovers" and "Moonlight Waltz" by John Arkell.
• "Grosvenor House" by Terry Day.
• "King's Road" by Michael Melvoin.
• "The Lavender Room" by Dick Walter.
• "When We Are Together" by Texas, written by Sharleen Spiteri and Johnny McElhone.
• "All Out of Love" by Air Supply, written by Clive Davis and Graham Russell.
• "One Fine Day" by The Chiffons, written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King.
• "Boogie Shoes" by KC and the Sunshine Band, written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch.
• "Lovedance" by Dave Rogers and Paul Shaw.
• "I Want You to Dance with Me" by Amy Ward, written by Amy Ward/Michael Terry.
• "I Got the Feeling" by James Brown, written and performed.
• "Secret" by Maroon 5, composed by James Valentine, Adam Levine, Mickey Madden, Jesse Carmichael, and Ryan Dusick.
• "Sway", "Home", and "Save the Last Dance for Me" by Michael Bublé, the latter two co-written by Bublé with Alan Chang and Amy Foster-Gillies, and the former written by Luis Demetrio and Pablo Beltrán Ruiz with English lyrics by Norman Gimbel.

The songs are featured in various scenes throughout the film, from Kat getting ready for the airport to the wedding and its after-party. The music helps to set the tone and enhance the emotions of the characters, from the anxiety of single life to the joy and romance of the wedding celebrations.

The combination of classic love songs, upbeat dance tracks, and soulful ballads creates a well-rounded and engaging soundtrack that complements the film's themes and adds to the viewing experience.

The Wedding Date's source material

The Wedding Date is a 2005 American romantic comedy film directed by Clare Kilner and starring Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, and Amy Adams. It is based on the 2002 novel Asking for Trouble by Elizabeth Young.

The film follows Kat Ellis, a single New Yorker who returns to her parents' house in London to be the maid of honour at her younger half-sister Amy's wedding. The best man at the wedding is Kat's former fiancé, Jeffrey, who unexpectedly dumped her two years ago. Anxious about confronting him and eager to impress, Kat hires a suave male escort, Nick Mercer, to pose as her boyfriend.

Kat intends to make Jeffrey jealous, but her plan backfires when Nick convinces everyone, including herself, that they are madly in love. Kat finds herself falling for Nick, and he for her. However, the night before the wedding, Kat discovers that Amy slept with Jeffrey when they were still together, and that he dumped her because he believed he was in love with Amy. Nick had known about this for a day but had not told Kat, and she feels betrayed. She ends things with Nick, and he decides to return to America, leaving her the money she had paid him.

On the wedding day, Kat's stepfather sees how distressed she is and asks her if Nick 'is the guy for you'. Kat realises he is, so she sets off to find him. Meanwhile, Amy confesses her betrayal to her fiancé, Ed, but professes her love for him. Ed, upset, chases Jeffrey out of the church and down the road, calling him a "back-stabbing weasel". Jeffrey, however, believes he is not in the wrong. Nick picks up Ed in a car, and they talk about love. Ed decides he loves Amy more than he is angry, and Nick and Ed return to the church, with Nick as the 'new' best man. Just before the ceremony, Nick tells Kat he'd rather fight with her than make love with anyone else, and they kiss passionately.

Kat and Nick begin a real relationship, and he gives up his job. Amy and Kat reconcile, and the movie ends with Jeffrey trying to get the attention of a female neighbour, having learned nothing.

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