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Dempsey succeeds as best woman

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Also by Amanda Beyer:

'The Raw Shark Texts' tells mind-bending tale (April 17, 2008)
Novel tries to crack Columbus code (April 4, 2008)
'Flawless' as an uncut diamond (April 3, 2008)
'Road Trip': No need to fasten seatbelt, journey slow (March 11, 2008)
'Spiderwick' weaves delicate web of reality, fantasy (February 25, 2008)

by Amanda Beyer

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

We all have people in our lives who are in some form irreplaceable. They have been our best friends, our “go-to guys” for as long as we can remember. The ones with whom we have shared our deepest and darkest secrets. Count on Hollywood to turn this common denominator into a sappy love story starring none other than McDreamy himself, Patrick Dempsey (“Enchanted”).

Growing up, Dempsey’s character, Tom, was the ladies’ man at every party, banging a new girl every night, a tradition he continues long after his college career met its end. It isn’t until it’s too late that he discovers the one he truly wants to be with his best friend, Hannah, played by Michelle Monaghan (“Trucker”),who has already found the love of her life on a trip to Scotland — the Duke of Scotland, in fact, Colin McMurray (Kevin McKidd, “The Last Legion”). This sets Tom on a quest to win back the love he never appreciated. He steps up to the challenge of being Hannah’s maid of honor, because after all, the best way to crash a wedding is from the inside.

Both entertaining and heartwarming, “Made of Honor” sheds new light on this overused plotline. Tom’s clan of friends even band together to embrace their feminine side when the duties of MOH (maid of honor) become just a little too much to handle. They do everything they can to make Tom into the perfect MOH, from watching a ridiculous movie to reading the latest bride magazines. Dempsey’s character is bound and determined to prove to Hannah he is a changed man and truly the one for her.

On the other hand, Colin’s seemingly flawless past leaves something to be desired. He is one of the few characters who has no skeletons in his closet, which is hardly believable when it is revealed he is royalty. His unbelievable strength, even the innuendoes of the size of his manliness, are all downplayed by his overall appearance. He may be “the one” for some girl out there, but the movie continually mounts evidence that he is not Hannah’s true prince charming.

Tom’s quest to win her heart, however, is comical and cute to say the least. One cannot help but feel sorry for the trials and tribulations he must face to win back the love he never should have lost. But his early heroic attempts are all lost, due to his character’s shallowness.

In true, unfailing Hollywood style, this film is certain to end happily ever after. It is as upsetting as it is predictable, and this is by far the most disappointing aspect of the entire film. Still, the cliche has been reworked in such a way that Tom’s path to self-discovery keeps the audience engaged in the plot and vying on his side, so much that it makes a person believe in second chances, and even that people can change when they truly love someone and will do anything to make them happy.

However, this fairy tale view of life is often bland and severely redundant. It is the same story told by Cinderella, Snow White and all of the other Disney princesses. So why produce the same story? This modern day take on love has been quirkily rearranged to show the guy’s side of the story, shedding new light on a tired subject. By the end of movie, the audience will fall in love with Dempsey’s character and believe in the fairy tale endings every girl, and in this case, even her date, dreams of.

3 out of 5 stars

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Anonymous (May 6, 2008 @ 7:41am):

No mention of the fact that this movie IS "My Best Friend's Wedding", only backwards?

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