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"THE WEDDING DATE"
(2005) (Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney) (PG-13)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Extreme Minor Heavy None None
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None None Mild Moderate
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Heavy Moderate Moderate Moderate Minor


QUICK TAKE:
Romantic Comedy: A neurotic and high-strung woman hires a male escort to pose as her boyfriend at her sister's wedding where her ex-fiancé is the best man.
PLOT:
Kat Ellis (DEBRA MESSING) is in full crisis mode. The neurotic and high-strung customer service rep for Virgin Atlantic has to fly from New York to London for her sister's wedding. She's not looking forward to that since her ex-fiancé, Jeffrey (JEREMY SHEFFIELD), is the best man and she currently doesn't have a boyfriend. As a result, she decides to hire male escort Nick Mercer (DERMOT MULRONEY) to pose as her significant other.

The two meet on the flight over where Kat warns Nick that her family -- mom Bunny (HOLLAND TAYLOR), stepfather Victor (PETER EGAN), half-sister Amy (AMY ADAMS), and cousin TJ (SARAH PARISH), among others -- is an odd bunch, but that doesn't faze the smooth Nick then or when he's finally in their company.

They also meet the groom, Edward Fletcher-Wooten (JACK DAVENPORT), and begin their ruse. Although Kat finds Nick's line of work morally repugnant, she ends up slowly falling for him, and the feeling soon becomes mutual.

As the big day nears and their relationship evolves, Kat and Nick must deal with that as well as some surprise revelations that catch them and others off guard and threaten a number of relationships.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're fans of romantic comedies and/or anyone in the cast they might, but the answer otherwise is probably no.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For sexual content including dialogue.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • DEBRA MESSING plays an airline customer rep who's so nervous about seeing her ex at her sister's wedding that she hires Nick to pose as her boyfriend. She thus lies to her family about her relationship, gets drunk, wants to have sex with Nick (and may just do that), and uses some brief profanity, all while acting neurotic and having to deal with some surprise revelations.
  • DERMOT MULRONEY plays the male escort who agrees to pose as her boyfriend for a hefty sum. Smooth and calm, he uses a bit of profanity, and may have sex with Kat for whom he falls.
  • AMY ADAMS plays Kat's self-centered, half-sister who's getting married, but gets drunk and admits to having sex with Kat's former fiancé.
  • JEREMY SHEFFIELD plays Kat's ex-fiancé who's the best man in the wedding and wants to get back together with Kat, but turns out to have had an affair with her sister in the past. He also drinks.
  • JACK DAVENPORT plays the somewhat reserved groom-to-be who gets drunk and must deal with a surprise revelation.
  • SARAH PARISH plays Kat's brash and bawdy cousin who smokes, drinks and uses profanity.
  • PETER EGAN plays Kat's stepfather who tries to give her some helpful advice about her life.
  • HOLLAND TAYLOR plays Kat's haughty mom who drinks and puts down her daughter in public.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-13 rated romantic comedy. Profanity consists of at least 4 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Sexually related dialogue (including talk about sex, oral sex, genitals and more) is present in various scenes, and a sexual encounter is implied after onscreen fooling around (undressing, kissing and rolling around). Some male and female nudity is present for members of the opposite sex to see (including several times in a bathroom following/during showers), although we don't see anything explicit.

    Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (some of which exacerbate already tense family relationships), while they and others drink in various scenes (several times to the point of drunkenness) and one character smokes a number of times. A person stomps down on another's foot, while another trips a person (both played for comedy). Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Kat and Nick hold champagne on a plane, while others have the same.
  • Miscellaneous people drink in a pub.
  • Miscellaneous people drink at a party where Victor tells Nick that at times like this, a good stiff drink helps (and Nick offers to get a refill for Victor). Those two then drink, as does Kat.
  • Amy is drunk and wants Kat's drink which she then sips with a straw.
  • Nick and Jeffrey drink.
  • Bunny has a drink.
  • TJ has a beer.
  • Kat, Amy, TJ and others drink flaming shots of liquor at a bachelorette party where a great deal more drinking occurs, resulting in many of the ladies being drunk then and later (including when Amy is standing through a limo's sunroof while holding a bottle of champagne and later when Kat seduces Nick).
  • TJ, who's drunk, shouts out, "Will somebody buy my hoo-hah (genitals) a drink?"
  • Jeff and Edward drink (as do others) and appear to be drunk.
  • Nick brings Kat a Bloody Mary (among other breakfast items), but she doesn't drink it.
  • Victor and Nick have drinks.
  • Most of the family has wine in front of them with dinner.
  • We see many bottles of wine in a wine cellar.
  • Kat jokes that her situation is one that a bottle of Jack (Daniels) and a straight razor couldn't fix.
  • People have wine or champagne at a wedding and raise their glasses for a toast.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • Bunny comments that Kat and Amy were inseparable as kids, and that if Kat ate a banana, Amy would throw up one. She then adds that if Kat threw up a banana, Amy would eat that.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Bunny is demeaning toward Kat (her daughter, and in front of a party) about her inability to get married.
  • Jeffrey admits to Kat, "I slept with your sister...I shagged Amy." He says that's why he broke up with Kat and that afterward he and Amy "Kept at it like rabbits."
  • Various people knew or know about Jeffrey cheating on Kat in the past, but didn't/don't tell her.
  • Kat jokes that her situation is one that a bottle of Jack (Daniels) and a straight razor couldn't fix (some viewers might not like the suicide joke/reference).
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • None.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • None.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "You sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "Feel like crap," "Who's the hunky?" "Hello *sshole," "Bloody hell," "Horse's ass," "Luckiest bastard," "Taking a piss," "Crikey," "Bugger," "I'm just screwing with you," "You fat tart" (said by a man to another man), "Bugger off," "You sissy little monkey," "Holy crap," "Woody" (erection), "Pisses me off," "You backstabbing weasel," "Total wanker," "Smug ass," "Lucky sod" and "Bloke."
  • Many of the characters drink a lot and end up drunk.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • A song plays (during a sex scene) with the lyric, "I want you so bad."
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 4 "s" words (one said as "sh*te"), 5 slang terms for sex ("shag" and "screwed"), 2 slang terms for male genitals ("thing" and "weenie"), 1 for female genitals ("hoo-hah"), 4 asses (1 used with "hole"), 3 craps, 2 buggers, 2 hells, 1 bollocks, 7 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "God," "Good Lord," "My God," "Oh God," "Oh Jesus" and "Sweet Jesus."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • We briefly see some male escort listings in the classifieds (text only) that have some suggestive wording.
  • Having witnessed Kat coming out and modeling different dresses, a pub worker states, 'I'd shag you."
  • In a large coat closet where it's made to look like Kat is nude (the shot is from behind her in her backless dress), Nick tells her that it will cost her more to be intimate with him. In response, she says that she finds the thought of money for sex morally repugnant. When they come out of that closet together, Bunny jokingly asks "Quickie?" (meaning sex).
  • TJ states that she has more than one gynecologist so that they don't think she's easy. She then spots Nick and refers to him as "Mr. Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down." After a moment, she then adds, "I think I've just come."
  • Bunny tells Nick and Kat that they can share the same bedroom despite not being married. Once they're in there, Nick starts to undress and tells Kat to take a look since it's part of the price (she paid to hire him). He then walks into the bathroom in his boxers that then come off (we briefly see his bare butt in a somewhat out of focus shot, followed by the sight of his shape behind the shower curtain). Kat is a bit embarrassed, but goes into the bathroom and comments about an article about him being a sexual surrogate in the past before branching out. He then says that his mother was a hippie and stripper who washed her lingerie in his bathwater, and that he now needs to experience sex and intimacy with rules (but then states that he's just joking). He then comes out of the shower and stands nude in front of her (she sees everything, but we don't), causing her to be embarrassed as he stands there and talks to her (we then see part of his bare butt cheek in the foreground of the shot). The two then share the lone bed, but nothing sexual happens as she puts plenty of pillows between them and he falls asleep.
  • Trying to make Jeffrey feel bad, Kat pours some water from a bottle down the front of her blouse while playing cricket (she then ties it into the shape of a halter top, exposing her midriff). She then suggestively bends over and wiggles her clothed rear while awaiting the next pitch.
  • Kat asks Nick how many of his clients want to sleep with him, but he replies that it's about more than just sex. She then tells him to show her (out on the street) and he leans in as if to kiss her, but just talks seductively (nothing racy) and puts a spell on her.
  • TJ is playfully incredulous that Kat "gets to shag this guy" (referring to Nick) and then comments on his clothed "buns" (butt).
  • TJ, who's drunk, shouts out, "Will somebody buy my hoo-hah (genitals) a drink?"
  • Edward talks about Nick and then tells Jeff, "He shags your ex girlfriend."
  • We briefly see some strippers entering a bachelor party, but they're still clothed and we don't see them again.
  • Kat sees an old boyfriend from college (named or nicknamed Woody) and asks, "Woody?" Both then simultaneously reply, "Not yet, but it's getting there" (an erection joke).
  • Nick states that a man in love doesn't want a prostitute.
  • We briefly and partially see up Kat's short skirt as she gets out of a limo.
  • While drunk, Kat withdrawals a lot of money from an ATM to pay Nick for sex (referring to an above statement). When she returns home, she wakes him up, takes him (in boxers and a shirt) out to Victor's boat (parked in the driveway), and both go inside. She then removes his shirt as well as her top and then her bra (we see her bare back). She then gets on top of him and the two passionately kiss while lying down, and he then rolls over on top of her (there may be a split-second view of her bare breasts) and more kissing ensues (all mostly in head and shoulders shots, although the camera pans down their intertwined legs, and we see their bare backs, etc.). The scene ends there and sex is implied (they wake up together in each other's arms), but when she asks what happened the night before, he says nothing (but we don't know if he's telling the truth or just trying to keep her from feeling bad).
  • A song plays (during the above sex scene) with the lyric, "I want you so bad."
  • When Nick discovers that Kat withdrew money to pay him for sex the night before (see above), he's mad and storms into the bathroom, whipping open the shower curtain. We see her bare back and she spins around and covers her breasts with her hands (we see cleavage). He's angry and says that she's three hundred short anyway (off his normal price) and then presumably implies that his full price includes oral sex (saying that's what the extra 300 is for). He then adds that the 300 hundred is "for you doing it to me."
  • Like an above shot, the camera shows Amy from behind in a backless dress that makes her seem like she's standing in a dance class nude.
  • Trying to find something wrong with Nick, TJ tells Kat, "I bet his thing bends" and that it has a kink in it, but is then disappointed by Kat's face making her dejectedly say, "Don't tell me it's perfect."
  • Edward says that he's heard that makeup sex is the best kind, but then adds, "Not that I'm ever going to find out." Kat and TJ then playfully chase after him (he's manning the grill), wanting his "weenie" (a double entendre).
  • Jeffrey admits to Kat, "I slept with your sister...I shagged Amy." He says that's why he broke up with Kat and that afterward he and Amy "Kept at it like rabbits."
  • Kat uses the sexual term "screwed" when referring to Amy and Jeffrey.
  • Nick tells Edward that he (Edward) could go back and spend the rest of his life having great make-up sex with Amy.
  • Nick tells Kat that he'd rather fight with her than make love with anyone else. The two then do some passionate, clothed kissed while standing.
  • TJ shows some cleavage.
  • Onscreen text at the end states that after the wedding, TJ learned how Woody got his nickname (an erection joke), while another bit says that Edward and Amy discovered how great makeup sex can be.
  • We see Jeffrey come out of the bathroom, spot a woman in a building across the road, drop his towel and then start doing nude pull-ups at the window (we don't see anything explicit, but it's implied the woman might).
  • SMOKING
  • TJ smokes more than 5 times.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Kat doesn't get along well with her mom or self-centered sister (especially when the latter confesses that she did something bad to Kat a while back).
  • Bunny is demeaning toward Kat (her daughter, and in front of a party) about her inability to get married.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Male escorts.
  • Wanting to impress others and being deceitful in doing so.
  • Familial relationships.
  • Romantic relationships.
  • That Kat finds Nick's line of work morally repugnant, but hires and falls for him anyway.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Kat purposefully stomps down on Nick's foot during a dance lesson and while mad at him.
  • When Edward learns about the truth concerning Jeffrey and Amy, he starts to chase Jeffrey, with TJ tripping the fleeing party (all played as comedy).



  • Reviewed February 1, 2005 / Posted February 4, 2005

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