‘License to Wed’: A series of unfortunate events

Thu, 07/05/2007 - 3:47pm
By: Emily Baldwin

Independence Day. It’s a time to reflect on our country’s history, celebrate our freedom, and dream of what the future may hold. It’s marked by parades, food, friends and family and capped off with fireworks. Every summer the holiday also marks one of the biggest release dates for Hollywood each year. At least one major blockbuster is released each Fourth of July, and this year that film was “Transformers,” which has already pulled in a whopping $27.4 million since it opened Monday night.

But just because the record breaking summer blockbuster was guaranteed to pull in audiences, it didn’t mean that all other movies were going to run scared, leaving “Transformers” as the only new movie at the box office. No, you may not have realized it, but another movie opened this week in theaters across the nation: “License to Wed.”

This brave little comedy stood toe to robotic toe with “Transformers” this week and ended up being unmercifully crushed by the mighty bots. But the real question is, “Would it even matter when ‘License to Wed’ was released?” Is this yet another Hollywood production house’s attempt at throwing together a decent cast, a good director and a worn out idea in the hopes of just turning a profit if not really succeeding? That was my question as I entered the theater on Tuesday afternoon.

The basic premise is this: Ben (John Krasinski a.k.a. Jim from the hit TV show “The Office) and Sadie (Mandy Moore) have just gotten engaged and are blissfully happy with one another. When Sadie and Ben go to meet the pastor of the church Sadie grew up in, Reverend Frank (Robin Williams) informs them that they must pass a marriage-preparation course before he will allow them to marry in his church.

Rev. Frank’s course isn’t the usual premarital counceling many churches require before a ceremony. Rather, it seems the cleric will do just about anything to break up the happy couple before their big day. A series of tests are put before the couple with each one progressively getting stranger and more frustrating.

With each passing day, Ben becomes more and more convinced that Rev. Frank is trying to sabotage his relationship (a feeling that is substantiated when he discovers his apartment has been bugged by the clergyman). Meanwhile, Sadie is confronted with Ben’s shortcomings and lack of enthusiasm for the course which she interprets as a lack of commitment. By the time the rehearsal rolls around, their relationship is at its breaking point.

It’s not all that new of an idea: a happy couple is put to the test when friends, family or, in this case a clergyman, crosses their path. What results is a series of miscommunications, awkward moments, and frustrating situations all leading up to the big reunion in the end...hopefully.

Warner Bros. made sure “License to Wed” was hyped far and wide in anticipation of its opening, meaning I had seen quite a few trailers and movie clips from various commercials and talk show interview segments beforehand. My fear was that I had seen all the funny parts, as so often happens with middle-of-the-road comedies, and my expectations for the film weren’t very high.

The main reason I even wanted to see “License to Wed” is my love for all things related to “The Office,” my all-time favorite TV show. With Krasinski as the leading man and appearances by several “Office” cast-mates, not to mention Ken Kwapis (a regular director of “Office” episodes) as director, it was enough to make me stomach a Robin Williams’ film.

Kwapis smartly pulled in several “Office” regulars who could guarantee a few extra laughs including Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey and Brian Baumgartner. Comedienne Rachael Harris also has a guest spot that adds a few laughs.

Mandy Moore, God love her, is beautiful and talented (remember her in “A Walk to Remember” anyone?), but she’s beginning to lose her appeal for me. Perhaps it was my disappointment with her latest film, “Because I Said So,” or maybe she’s simply gotten stuck rehashing a role I don’t care for, but she was the lowest common denominator in this film as far as I’m concerned. Even Williams, who irritates me to no end, made more of an impression on me than the one-dimensional Sadie.

In the end, it is Krasinski who carries the film and makes it watchable. With his regular-guy good looks, his affable personality and his ability to turn a simple “What?” into a chuckle-inducing moment on screen, Krasinski has managed to turn a successful television career into the beginnings of a film career. Hopefully next time, he will pick a film that audiences will actually want to see because it looks good, not just because he is in it.

“License to Wed” opened with a paltry $2.2 million in ticket sales, and I’m willing to bet at least a portion of that money came from people sneaking into sold out showings of “Transformers.”

The good news is, “License to Wed” is funnier than its previews let on, and it gives “Office” fans an hour and a half of Jim during the long summer season bereft of new episodes. Whether it’s worth the $8 trip to the theater or not is up to you.

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