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Parents' Guide to

The Wedding Date

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

As stale as last week's wedding cake.

Movie PG-13 2005 100 minutes
The Wedding Date Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

hawaiifiveogal
hawaiifiveogal Adult
May 27, 2019
age 15+

Pretty Man goes to a Wedding in London!

I always rather liked this film. I love Debra Messing and Taylor Holland and Amy Adams didn't disappoint as her annoying mother and sister. I'm a huge anglophile, so loved the funny British-American wit (and the English setting). I thought the idea of bringing a male escort to her sister's wedding was hilarious and found the whole thing very amusing. The soundtrack was amazing; love Buble and all the other songs. I found out years later that the "Secret" song my daughter lost her virginity to was Maroon 5's naughty bit of fluff on the boat! Lol!
Iheartrams1500
Iheartrams1500 Adult
August 2, 2018
age 15+

Classic but not too cheesy Rom-Com

I don’t understand the hate for this movie. First off acting like it’s the most horrifically sexual movie ever made is puzzling. There’s adult humor, adult language and a butt... my goodness it’s like it’s a porno!(sarcasm) You know how many pg-13 movies from back then had butts and language. Plus I Love how whoever rated this movie was probably a 40 yr old man In his moms basement... It’s a rom-com. It’s funny and not too unusual but still different than most. It’s not for kids but why would it need to be rated R? There’s drinking... it’s a wedding weekend! Last time I checked adults are allowed to drink... sex sure but again, not exactly a porn(smh) language, well most the characters are British-LOL! You guys need to get your panties out of a bunch and stop rating movies low because you’re too uptight to watch anything not Disney like. It’s a good movie, not perfect but definitely not the worst of its kind. Would recommend for anyone without sticks up their butts who enjoy a funny, unusual rom-com.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THE WEDDING DATE stars Debra Messing as Kat, an insecure young woman who has just seen two of the most terrifying words in the English language on her sister's wedding invitation. They are: "and guest." Her younger sister Amy (Amy Adams) is getting married. And Kat's ex-fiance is the best man. She needs a date to bring to the wedding so that "the ex-fiance will be sorry that he left you and your family will think we are in love." With $6000 from her retirement account, Kat hires Nick (Dermot Mulroney), a male escort she read about in the New York Times Magazine. Kat and Nick pretend to be in love to reassure the family and torture the ex. But there is an undeniable attraction between them as well.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (4 ):

All the romantic comedy gloss in the world can't save a script as stale as last week's wedding cake. Despite a promising set-up and talented performers, it leaks air like a tire that ran over a tack. The movie wants us to find Kat adorable and endearing. She is just fluttery, self-centered, and insecure. The movie wants us to find Nick desirable. But we hear about it more than we feel it. Kat's cousin is supposed to be delightfully outrageous. But raunchy is not the same thing as outrageous, even if a few supportive comments are tossed in, and it is especially not the same thing as delightfully outrageous. Give us something specific, people! That's why they call it "writing."

Then there is the troubling problem of having a light romantic comedy with characters whose behavior is unsavory. This lends a sour tinge to the purported hijinks. Most of the people behind this movie are women. They show some sensitivity to just what it is that someone like Kat would want from Nick, but, regrettably, they don't show any more wit, insight, heart, or imagination than we find in the dozens of dull movies about female characters made by men.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether it is true that people get the love life that they want. Why does it take courage to let someone love you?

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