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.
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.