Wedding Plans (The Wedding Planner (DVD))

Member Name: bilbob20

Product:	The Wedding Planner (DVD)
Date:	04/11/08 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Jennifer Lopez and some pretty images

Disadvantages: Its predictable and uneventful

What about Jennifer Lopez. She's a woman so universally trashed, its a wonder she even wants to work anymore. If she releases a record, it sovershadowed by those claims that she has a staff of 10 purely to clean her gravity-defying butt. If she releases a film, nobody cares whether she is any good or not. The critics are more interested in how many inches are taken off said butt for the promo posters. On the rare ocassions that the critics get round to talking about her craft, they might as well have not bothered, given the tiny amount of column inches it takes up.

Lopez is an unlikely rom-com leading lady, she isn't traditionally cutesy in the way that Meg Ryan or Goldie Hawn were in their hey-day, she's much gutsier looking. A lot like a woman who has had to fight not to fall into the trappings of her origins, in fact. Thats even better reason to do the very best job you can, even if the material is substandard and predictable. Even if, god forbid, your leading man is an irritatingly chiselled but wooden Matthew McConaughey.

The story itself is one of a lonely woman who has the dream job. She gets to dress brides for their wedding day, and comes up with the most poetic wedding speeches for the groom. However, by night, her sole companions are of the feline type. She even eats her microwavable meals from a tray in front of the television. However, when she accidently falls into the lap of the handsome Steve, she doesn't realise that he is in fact the groom-to-be of her next client. Soon, the two of them are exchanging awkward "dont look at me" glances, and fighting over whose fault it is that they are attracted to each other. All the while, trying to avoid the bride-to-be finding out about their brief dalliance.

There is a side plot about a stalking fiance for Lopez' character Mary. That could have been hilarious, but instead, any comedy is wrung out of it and replaced by a stern and rather unromantic lecture from her father about how these things can grow into love. Its hardly the makings of a good romantic comedy. That doesn't prevent the inevitable from happening. I know it pleases nobody, but why cant the snooty bitch with the rich daddy never get the guy, leaving the pretty but poor leading lady out in the cold. And why do the pretty but poor leading lady's always have the morals of an alley cat where their sista's are concerned.

Anyway, Adam Shankman cuts a pleasing film full of eye candy, and pretty autumnal images. What he fails to do though is present either Lopez or McConaughey as anything more than effective actors. We've all seen Lopez on form, we know she can do it, but time after time shambolic editing and a lack of effort on the part of the script and director leaves us in the cold regarding the bronx's most famous buttshaker.

The story itself is predictable and moderately enjoyable, but the film doesn't pretend to be an epic love story. It is what it is. It also boasts some rather enjoyable support from the always reliable Joanna Gleason (a fine example of a woman who is in everything, but you can never remember where you've seen her), and Grey's Anatomy's Justin Chambers in one of his earlier roles. Perfect for the girls on a sunday afternoon on the sofa.

Summary: A predictable and uneventful romantic comedy