Made of Honor (2008) Poster

(2008)

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5/10
Could have been a Good Movie
cwglindn29 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
If you like seeing the underdog win, then just stop reading my comments and go ahead and enjoy a typical romantic comedy that is smart and has some good parts.

Can I just say that this movie falls into the "American ending trap". Typical guy meets girl, guy can't commit to girl, guy sleeps with every other girl, guy realizes girl with morals is so much better.

Then the big: "guy is about to lose girl and does everything to ruin her potential happy life"

Really... I know that we love happy endings, but when the guy waits too long to finally realize something is important, he shouldn't get rewarded, it should become the area of tragedy. This guy waits too long. The only explanation is that, not to chase her, would make him a "pussy", worse they call Bogart a "pussy".

To make this movie better, stop the movie when the bride is looking toward the shore and skip to the credits. Not wholly satisfying, but try this first, and then if you have to go back and finish the movie. Then tell me which is the better ending.

Be smart, make this "the beginning of a beautiful friendship" and rent Casablanca instead.
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7/10
A romantic comedy with a guy's perspective
LizzieJean17 April 2008
I have to start by saying that I am not a huge fan of "chick flicks" but I actually really liked this one! I thought this had a lot of humor and it wasn't really cheesy humor, it was actually funny.

I saw this at a screening for theater managers and at first I wasn't even going to go. I wasn't expecting much from it, it just looked like another rip off of a hundred other romantic comedies. I was very surprised that that I liked it the entire way through and it kept my interest the whole time! Although I enjoyed the movie, it was not an original idea. The one thing I did really enjoy about it was that this wasn't a sad girl trying to get the guy like many other movies like this are, it was shown through the guy's perspective which isn't quite as over done.

I won't give out any details you don't already see in the trailer for the movie: Patrick Dempsy's character is great with women and his best friend is a successful intelligent woman. She goes to Scotland on business and Patrick's character realizes he has actually fallen in love with her now that shes gone. She comes back and he is ready to profess his love but there's one problem: she met someone else and is getting married! So now he is her "maid of honor" and has to try and stop the wedding. Like I said, not really an original idea but it is MUCH funnier and more interesting than most of the romantic comedies I have seen. Especially with him being maid of honor, its really hilarious.

If you are looking for an original movie that hasn't been done before then this is not for you. But if you enjoy romantic comedies and want a good laugh this one is definitely worth seeing. I watched it in a group of about half and half for men and woman and 90% of the people I talked to enjoyed it. I would see it again and I would definitely recommend it to anyone, even if you don't like "chick flicks"!
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5/10
Michelle Monaghan is sensational! The Dempsey character was a jerk; the movie a wee bit lame
bopdog4 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The cinemas haven't brought out the expected "hot summer films" yet, so I went to this one. Yes, it's a girlie film, but sometimes those can be enjoyable. This one had its bright spots. The female lead, Michelle Monaghan, was terrific. It's not just that she's pretty, but she has a nice solid vibe that makes her appealing, too. A man could imagine that character as someone good to know. Jack Dempsey has his abilities, too--- but his character here was less than attractive.

Either the plot was so implausible that it was hard to buy into it and take it seriously, or the Dempsey character himself was written as such a jerk that I had no patience for him, and no sympathy. I was cheering for his romantic rival, the Scotsman! He seemed to be of better character, nicer, more interesting, and NOT a complete jackass.

I was disappointed toward the end when the film makers turned the Scottish family, lovely people and much more interesting than the Dempsey character and his family, into a mild sort of "bad guy." It felt oh-so-contrived, and unnecessary. It rang a false note.

So, "Made of Honor" swings and misses. Maybe such "wedding" movies and romantic "shaggy dog" stories can never be better than this. But I swear I have seen some that not only worked better, but were actually very entertaining. This one tried, and wasn't awful; but again, I really disliked the male lead, and the film makers obviously wanted us to feel the opposite way. But they failed.
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Deep Six this Movie...
LambertJohn26 December 2008
Sometimes I'm literally amazed at the load of horse dung that comes out of Hollywood. This movie is no exception. This was clearly a formula movie, something produced to generate revenue and nothing else. I'm guessing someone in Hollywood was sitting around, trying to come up with new angles on old spins, and they blurted out, "Let's make a man the Made of Honor." Then they wrote a dry, bland, done a thousand times before script. The sad thing is, people actually pay to go see this stuff. Don't waste your time.

The acting is ho hum. The storyline is a mirror of so many other stories. And the overall intelligence of the characters and their life path decisions is insulting. And the ending…well, it's pure fantasy. Something only school girls' dream of. Which is probably the target audience for this movie.

When I watch movies like this, and yes, unfortunately, sometimes I do, it makes me wish they would have just donated the money to the homeless or the starving. It would have been money better spent. If you're going to watch this movie, get ready to do some serious snoozing. And maybe some "dejavuing" too. I give it a D. And that was being nice.
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6/10
Another simply romantic comedy
gbx0617 June 2008
Another romantic comedy more. There isn't much to say about this movie, in fact is not boring and the performances of Dempsey and Monaghan meet the required level to make tolerable they as a couple, but the film falls into a number of same places that we watched in other movies thats why Made of honor lost among so many films of the genre and at the end of it nothing new provides.

Neither idea is the most original or the jokes the most successful, in fact the plot falls on an abuse of sexual humor that at times results unnecessary and it only is used to start a laughter of a story that had no where to find the funny. In fact the film is the perfect movie to spend a Sunday at home with a popcorn's bag and let the brain rest from the pressures of the week. The film is simple, from start to finish, and that is his greatest success because it doesn't pretend to be what it isn't. It's only entertainment.
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7/10
Waiting Out "Made of Honor"
jon.h.ochiai11 May 2008
Okay, after 10 minutes of "Made of Honor" it is crystal clear that best friends Tom (Patrick Dempsey) and Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) are madly in love with each other, and should be together. Tom and Hannah are beautiful and good people, but apparently not smart enough to figure this out now. So we have to wait it out for the next couple hours. Yes, this is formulaic romantic comedy, and taxing one's patience. Further complicating our pain, the fleet of writers—Adam Sztykiel, Deborah Kaplan, and Harry Elfont, depict Tom and Hannah literally on paper as smart, charming, and engaging, except for this glaring blind spot. However, despite the narrative devices and clumsy direction from Paul Weiland, I was enrolled by a scene with Michelle Monaghan. As Hannah, Monaghan looks wistfully at photos of her and Tom on her cell phone. She resonates with a sense of sadness and regret. Later Dempsey as the clued in Tom implores Hannah, "Please don't marry him…"

A lot of "Made of Honor" is over wrought and contrived; however, Dempsey and Monaghan's charm make you wait it out. Dempsey is the handsome engaging player lug-head, who underneath it all has a good heart. Michelle Monaghan is radiantly beautiful, funny, and smart. She is a younger Sandra Bullock. Monaghan is humorously vulnerable as Hannah, who is smart in settling for a relationship, because she fears she can't have what she really deserves. Monaghan is amazing.

We find that Tom and Hannah (Dempsey and Monaghan) became best friends as a result of Tom's college high jinx. Today Tom is very wealthy as a result of an idea he had for a cup holder sleeve. Hannah is the passionate art curator for the museum. Tom and Hannah are best friends with killer chemistry. Hannah is Tom's go to date for his father Thomas Sr.'s (funny Sydney Pollack) numerous weddings. The count is up to 6. Even Thomas jokes to Tom, if Tom doesn't marry Hannah, he'll make her number 7. Hannah, being Tom's tolerant and patient best bud accepts Tom's one night stands with hot women. She is even versed in his rules for sleeping with the same woman on consecutive nights. Tom also has his buddies, including solid Felix (Kadeem Hardison), with whom he plays basketball. Tom seems to have the perfect life. Then following Tom's father's wedding reception, Hannah tells Tom that she has to go to Scotland for 6 weeks on business. Tom facetiously says, "What am I going to do without you?"

During her absence, Tom starts to get a clue about Hannah-- being the one. So he decides to tell Hannah, that they should be together when she returns. However, Hannah returns with great news: She has fallen in love and is getting married in 2 weeks in Scotland. The guy is Colin (dashing and charming Kevin McKidd), who is a Scottish Duke and apparently the perfect guy. Really. Tom and his crew later get a glimpse of this at a ridiculous pick up basketball game experience. Anyway, Hannah asks Tom to be her Maid of Honor. Tom accepts. His bud Felix reminds him that he can "steal the bride" from inside the wedding. Predictably the rest of the Brides Maids are annoyed with Tom, particularly Maid of Honor runner-up cousin Melissa (angry Busy Philipps), who Tom slept with once.

For the most part "Made of Honor" is by the numbers romantic comedy. It does manage a touching turn, because we really want to know why Hannah ends up choosing Colin. It is transparent to us that Colin is the perfect guy, but he is not the perfect guy for Hannah. Fortunately, Dempsey and Monaghan's charm and chemistry for the most part wins over "Maid of Honor". Sydney Pollack provides welcome comic relief and staid fatherly advice. Kathleen Quilan is great in the supporting role of Hannah's mother Joan. Too bad she doesn't have a bigger role. But she has a moving moment with Monaghan as Mom talks about Hannah's late father.

"Made of Honor" is enjoyable for what it is: cookie cutter romantic comedy. We can suspend our disbelief, because Dempsey and Monaghan are great together.
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4/10
Annoyingly stereotypical
kellow19 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
So just why is it that we are meant to side with this ridiculous American jerk? This is the guy who apparently has the looks and charisma to have a neverending stream of the kind of gorgeous women most of us can only dream of, yet he treats them like dirt. Just what his lifelong pal Hannah is doing wasting her time hanging out with him, heaven only knows, and finally she meets a decent Scottish man, Colin, and they're going to get married. Good on her is what you should think, yet this film steers you around into thinking that the womaniser jerk is the one she should have been with. He may shag around, but hey, he strokes dogs. Off they go to Scotland, but not the real Scotland, but the stereotypical one in which the people speak Scots, toss cabers, live in castles and generally everything is a bit scary and weird. A couple of cheap shots suddenly make us feel that perhaps Colin isn't quite the Mr Right we were led to believe (the cake bit was just plain corny, and though I am no fan of hunting, at least Colin's meat is won naturally and not factory farmed), and along comes our womanising pal to walk straight into their wedding and declare his undying love for Hannah. I mean what is it with these romantic movies and people walking in on other people's weddings and declaring their love for one of the supposedly happy couple. Is that the kind of thing we should be encouraging? Coz I know I wouldn't appreciate it too much if it was my weddding. Yer man had his chance and he blew it, tough s**t, and should never go ruining a supposed friend's wedding with his fit of jealousy. I was so much hoping that Hannah would tell him to p*ss off there and then, but sadly that's not the kind of ending Americans can deal with, and so we get the clichéd happily ever after nonsense. At least Colin managed to get one punch in - he should have killed the guy. It's just so annoying. The guy is a complete and utter pillock, and basically this film is an insult to all of us guys in the world who actually do know how to care about the women we are with, and who don't just bed as many as we can for the sake of... well for the sake of what I'm not really sure. I'm not sure what kind of values this film is trying to portray, but it's got it all wrong. The only thing I can see is that regardless how much of a scumbag you are, if you are American, you are still going to be a better partner for anybody than a Scot. I just found it irritating, sadly the girlfriend thought it was hilarious and immediately made us sit through it all over again.
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7/10
Remake of "Loverboy"?
brad-kruse4 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
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.
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4/10
A romantic tragedy.
JWJanneck24 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The synopsis of this movie should read: Romantic character gets badly mistreated by two emotionally unstable, immature, egotistical twits and ends up alone as a result. The problem with this movie is that the two twits are the leads, and the only actually romantic character is "the other guy". This really kills its aspirations of being a romantic comedy, since the fundamental premise of this genre is that the viewers root for the leading pair to get together, while all I was thinking as this flick drew to its inevitable conclusion was that "the other guy" was by far the better catch in every imaginable way, far more deserving of love and affection, and infinitely more graceful in handling himself and the situation than the "leading man", and that not seeing that in itself really disqualified the leading woman.

As a consequence, this flick may be credited as spawning a new genre --- the romantic tragedy.

The whole point of Darcy/Wickham (or Darcy/Cleaver) type of romcom setups is that one of the leads (and ideally the reader/viewer) is initially misguided in their views of the prospective mates, and the story is then about the bumpy road to enlightenment, at the end of which the more worthy mate wins. In Austen terms (apologies to those unfamiliar with them), this story is that after Lydia has been after Wickham for some time and without success, she gets to know and falls for Darcy, and decides to marry him, whereupon Wickham, true to form, concludes that he wants Lydia after all, does his very best to torpedo their impending happiness, and as a result of Lydia's profound airheadedness, succeeds. Darcy is left alone, and the final shot shows Lydia and Wickham bonking.

The audience supposedly should feel happy about those two getting together, and in a way it's probably a comfort to think that a guy like Colin should have no difficulty finding a much more worthy woman to make happy.

There isn't much to make up for the silly plot and its absurd conclusion, either. The comedy is mostly unsubtle (some slapstick, a few rather crude jokes about a fat girl), the acting is okay but not great (to be fair, there is not much opportunity for greatness in the script) --- even as "guilty pleasure" (a category I would put most romcoms into), there just isn't enough pleasure for the considerable amount of guilt involved in watching this. There are probably many better ways of spending one's time.
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6/10
SILLY LOVE/ROMCOM
Essay-Kun12 July 2021
You know what , you don't watch these movies for anything else but fun .

Sometimes , the feeling of whats it like to be in a silly season of love and hook ups .

Patrict was good but Mitchelle Monaghan was the charm like rose of the season.
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3/10
Same plot, different cover
Smells_Like_Cheese3 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I have stated before how much I hate romantic comedies, at least the one's that are the same concept over and over again, just different actors, but I had a chance to see Made of Honor for free today and I figured, why not? I mean, the thing is that you really have to give movies a chance, sometimes, you never know, your doubts are put behind you and you find yourself enjoying the movie. I mean, I love Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan, both great actors and are a lot of fun to watch on screen. So together it seemed like this movie might have stood a chance, but unfortunately once again, this is the exact same movie that we've seen five million times. I know that to people who haven't seen the romantic comedy genre, this is new, but Hollywood is just running out of idea's sadly. This story is no different from any other romantic comedy we've seen.

Tom and Hannah have been best friends since college, Tom is the player who has had every girl, except Hannah. She has feelings for him, but hides it and he doesn't notice, but when she goes to Scotland for work, he realizes how much she means to him out of no where. Hannah comes back, but she's got a new thing going on, she's engaged, and Tom's plan to tell her how he feels is now ruined when she asks him to be her maid of honor. But Tom figures that he has a good chance to point out that she doesn't know her fiancée that well and that her and Tom "truely" belong together.

The thing is, you can predict every moment before you know it's going to happen, it's sad when you could write a similar script, and just put different actors in it, there is a good chance that people will fall for it, at least it's good to have that kind of chance at making money. Made of Honor isn't the most horrible movie by any means, it had good intentions, but I would recommend if you really want to see it, just wait for the rental. As cute as Patrick and Michelle are, the chemistry is off and the script is just amateur. You've seen this movie five million times, believe me if you're into the romantic comedy genre.

3/10
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8/10
The movie deserves better from its audience!
Zi_Reviews_Movies21 May 2022
I don't get all the bashing this movie got in 2008. I actually enjoyed it. It's a classic chick flick, so everybody who's expecting a "unique" plot or a different storyline, why would you watch a romcom for that? Yes, some scenes were unnecessary, but who called the movie perfect? Anyway, I wanted an adorable movie, where I know the couple will end up together, but it's got pretty visuals, a convincing story that makes me believe in love, and lead characters with good chemistry. Made of Honor, was all of that. Young McDreamy (Grey's Anatomy ref) is absolutely charming and will make you want to side with him. Michelle Monaghan plays the poise and simplicity of her character in an extremely natural way. The movie isn't sappy but rather fun, relaxing, and enjoyable. Lord knows I needed that. And it was nice watching a chick flick from a guy's point of view.

After a really long while did I find a 2000's rom coms that aren't as popular but is deserving of more acclaim.
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7/10
I Don't Get Why So Many People Trashed This Movie
godofwine77-333-636228 July 2022
Is this the best movie in the history of cinema? No, but just sit back and enjoy it some of the corny themed ROMCOM drama and don't complain about it. If people can enjoy Star Wars without focusing on the incorrect physics, you can enjoy a movie like this.

Does the movie have flaws? Yes, every movie does, especially ones that heavily relies on tropes.

But put yourself in tue place of someone who is afraid to lose their best friend. This movie is ridiculously silly, but turn off your brain and enjoy the movie.

Movies are about suspending reality for the moment and sometimes enjoying the ridiculousness. So do that. Stop thinking so hard looking for holes in the movie and see it for what it is. A man-whore realizes he loves his best friend, who is a woman and is afraid to lose her to her new love.

RomComs are about suspended belief. So, Suspend belief. Enjoy the movie. I haven't seen it in over a decade and watching it again now feels like new. A solid 7 if you can ignore the corny parts. Plus, you gotta love the Patrick Dempsey/Kevin McKidd Grey's Anatomy prequel. Haha.
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1/10
How did this even make it to basic cable?
Jackpollins14 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Made Of Honor is an unfunny, unromantic comedy with Michelle Monaghan and Patrick Dempsey as best friends Hannah and Tom. Right when Tom is about to tell Hannah his true feelings about her, Hannah is getting married to Colin (Kevin McKidd). This all mixes into your regular, formulaic romantic comedy. It misses the mark completely every time. Every time they have a chance for a joke or good romance, they end up screwing it up. Dempsey and Monaghan are both terrible, they're both actors who can be really good actors, but here they seem like they'r either trying too hard or not trying at all. Something about the movie, not just the formulaic jokes or stupid, predictable jokes and plot rubs me the wrong way. It's probably the fact that it's actually extremely mean hearted. The movie ultimately completely dissaspoints. Not only Monagan and Dempsey are terrible, but so is McKidd. A truly bad movie for which I will not wed, a film of such utter disgrace that you think how much did someone actually spend on making this. This is a maddeningly unfunny film, and never, I repeat never see a second of this awful mess.
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7/10
Selfish
naraidong3 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I felt really bad for Collin. Yes, it was a heart warming and sweet happy ending for Tom and Hannah, which probably satisfied some people. But confessing love right in the middle of the wedding? That's just selfish. I mean Collin had absolutely no idea about the chemistry going on between Tom and Hannah. And suddenly Bam! So called best friend or maid of honor suddenly shouts his love for Hannah. And the love of his life (or so Collin thought), Hannah, tells him "You are a perfect guy, but not for me"

ON THE FREAKING WEDDING DAY! A day that should be down right charming has gone completely cold blooded. I mean it's a movie so all Collin does is punch Tom, but seriously...

Imagine this in a real life. I think "My Best Friend's Wedding' is way better scripted because it's close to the reality. No matter how hard you try, and no matter how much you love that someone, you can't force someone's heart. Tom and Hannah had feelings for each other from the beginning in my opinion. So I'm thinking, why didn't they just click together before this whole Wedding frenzy? It's like Collin only existed to "confirm" Tom and Hannah's love. You might say "whatever, Collin will deal with it" But when you give your heart to someone and decide to marry that person, it's a life changing experience. i just hate how this movie portrays Tom "stealing the bride" as an okay thing.
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6/10
Romantic comedies - remember them?
jamesmccormack2 May 2008
Here is lighthearted entertainment for an enjoyable evening at the movies. Columbia Pictures tries to reignite the romantic comedy genre with this frothy piece. Made of Honor is nice picture to watch but somehow the whole exercise seems forced and one can only think of what could of been if the script was just a bit stronger...and the direction too. The movie takes way too long to get moving and doesn't know where to end....the final scene is tacked on.

It's hard not to give away plot points since this film seems glued together from bits and pieces of 1960's comedies as well as things you've watching on the Lifetime Network. Still it is fun. And Made of Honor is a lot more enjoyable than Baby Mama which is just a long...very long...skit from Saturday Night Live.

Patrick Dempsey looks good on the big screen but seems a bit lifeless. Do we really need scenes where characters discuss how pretty Dempsey is? He also looks a bit long in the tooth for the age he is supposed to be playing. But looks real good in a mini-kilt. On the other hand, Michelle Monaghan is enchanting and lights up the screen every time she appears. The audience falls in love with her. Other characters come and go as the plot line dictates. The three bride maids seem like a missed opportunity for comedy. The mother of the bride suddenly pops in...and out just as fast.

Made of Honor tries too hard to be something that is not in its DNA: an adult comedy. Attn Columbia: there is nothing wrong with making a nice movie. Why junk it up? Several bits are quite vulgar and add nothing to the plot. An example: Grandma Pearl wearing a necklace of thunder beads and several tacky references to Dempsey's character being gay.

In many places the cinematography is incredible - especially shots of the Scotish countryside. Almost too good for this film, it gives the film the look of a fairy tale come true. A big negative is the pop rock soundtrack that is overbearing and I would imagine exists only to have a soundtrack album.
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3/10
Where's the honour?
TheLittleSongbird23 April 2011
I am not the biggest fan of romantic comedies/chick flicks, but there have been some I have genuinely enjoyed. Made of Honour, while I have seen much worse, is not one I enjoyed. It is worth noting for some striking production values and a beguiling soundtrack, other than that it is a miss.

My problems with this movie starts with the title, please, that pun of a title is appalling and even thinking about it makes me cringe. And I had exactly the same perception even before seeing the movie. Another major problem is that the characters are not sympathetic or likable in the slightest, the lead character especially is a complete sleaze-ball. Also the characters here are little more than cliché after cliché and bland stereotypes.

A lot of plots in romantic comedies are predictable, here is no exception. But this plot is also unrealistic and clichéd, and in terms of the pace and direction the film is a slog. I also disliked the ending, not only was it as predictable as the rest of story but it was also pure fantasy of the highest order.

The acting is not very good unfortunately, like I couldn't connect to any of the characters I don't think a vast majority of the actors could connect with them either. There is one good performance and that comes from Sydney Pollack, but Patrick Dempsey while dashing is too earnest for the lead and Michelle Monaghan comes across as rather limited. Hardly surprising, with the dialogue being as terrible as it was.

All in all, a daft, predictable and clichéd romantic comedy with a few good points. 3/10 Bethany Cox
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6/10
A Nutshell Review: Made of Honor
DICK STEEL11 May 2008
Made of Honor spells chick flick all over it, the perennial formulaic romantic comedy that tells its entire story in the trailer, but that's not going to stop couples from hitting the cinemas for their date movie flick, does it? What I thought was peculiar was that the original US rating for this was R, meaning a lot more sexual material thrown in, versus the now released PG-13 version which was re-edited, and over here, the rating of PG that allows for everyone to make a beeline if they want to escape from the week's blockbuster.

The plot's nothing new as well, with movies like My Best Friend's Wedding, and even from as far back as Three Men and a Little Lady where the best friend tries his/her very best to convince the bride/groom that their choice for eternal companionship, is of the wrong one, and of course, to make away with their respective selves to live happily ever after. And if you think the premise is a ludicrous one, where a man will take up the duties of a maid of honor, then Singapore perhaps just legitimized it with a wedding in a cinema last Tuesday, where indeed a male did grace the occasion of his best friend's wedding as her MOH.

For a man who doesn't seem to have a job and have a huge trust fund behind him, Patrick Dempsey shed his uptight role as a dad from his debut big screen outing with Enchanted, for a playboy called Tom who lives by certain rules in his dating game, and amongst them, no back to back sex with the same girl, no dates with the same girl unless it's a week apart, and never to call someone new in the next 24 hours, never bring them to weddings and family events, and the likes. Women find him irresistible (either for his looks or for that bank account), and he spares no time in getting to know them inside out. The ideal bachelor lifestyle I'd bet, with a constant flow of money, women, and good pals to shoot hoops with, none of them seemingly poor enough to hold down regular jobs.

However, he has his best friend and confidante in Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) with whom he spends his weekends with, and just when he discovers that he truly loves the girl, she drops the bombshell that she's going to marry a Scot whom she met during her business trip, and talking about whirlwind romances, will be getting married in 14 days. So the clock starts to tick in order for Tom to prove himself to be better than the groom-to-be Colin McMurray (Kevin McKidd), which is an uphill task as riches-for-riches they could be on par, but you just can't inject blue blood into you. While at the same time juggle his role as the maid of honor and going through the many girlie things that they're supposed to do for the bride.

While it is a formulaic story, what works, and so long as it does, this type of movies will forever be made, is the chemistry between the leads. You just can't deny that both Dempsey and Monaghan look good together on screen as a couple, and you can't help but find yourself rooting for them past their characters' stupidity to realize that they're made for each other, after 10 years of being together, with little clues left unanswered with questions such as "why do you like him" going unanswered. If only of course it were that easy in real life, that a romance can be wrapped up with Eureka-like moments of enlightenment within two hours.

Of course I must admit though with formula, it doesn't require anything cerebral from you as you sit through and (try to) enjoy the story in fantasy land. The eclectic soundtrack helped as well, with contemporary tunes taking centerstage and played at the right moments, from Smash Mouth's opening, to Oasis' Stop Crying Your Heart Out, when last I heard of it in a movie was in The Butterfly Effect. Supporting characters like Kathleen Quinlan and Sydney Pollack goes wasted of course.
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3/10
Made of no honor
cabazu26 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
My biggest problem with this movie was that I find Patrick Dempsey incredibly unattractive unlike most people who go see the film. I actually started thinking about it during the movie and wondered why. I should find him attractive, he's handsome and dark and funny, but no. And then it hit me – his voice! His voice is the most unsexy noise I've heard all year.

Not only is his voice intolerable, but the character he plays in Made of Honor is just whiny and sleazy who somehow manages to get these ridiculously gorgeous supermodel look-alikes throw themselves at him. He's just so hot that some poor ugly fat girl even made a website about him. The reason why the movie tries to convince us this way that Tom is a catch is because there's absolutely no romantic chemistry between him and Hannah, and no reason for her to ever fall for him. He seems like her gay friend who talks a lot and likes cupcakes. Not only that but he takes her for granted and only talks about his own love interests when with her.

Why is she not already with him is what the movie tries to make us realize, except it only succeeds in making me overwhelmingly happy for Hanna when she finally meets Colin. (Kevin McKidd) And this is why the movie fails, because in the end I'm cheering for Colin and really wish that Tom would just end up adopting the dog he keeps scratching and living the rest of his life with him, instead of ruining Hanna's life. Oh and when Hanna and Tom finally end up in bed together it is so painfully awkward and forced I would have actually rather watched Bill and Monica at it.
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7/10
Safe, likable, that's about it.
jemps91821 June 2008
A very safe romantic comedy that plays exactly by the rules and wins the general audience over because it manages to have the key ingredient that makes this genre work: chemistry between likable leads.

Tom (Patrick Dempsey) and Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) have been best friends since college, where their animosity has comfortably settled to fond affection. They're beautiful, brilliant people, and yet they are clueless that they are right for each other. Until of course, a compelling event sets off the requisite sense of urgency for Tom to finally pursue Hannah.

Dempsey is at his leading man best as the charming bad boy who changes for Monaghan, the sensible pretty woman with the non-threatening art job who gets the guy by being understanding and patiently waiting. That, in essence, is the secret formula to chick flick success at the box office. To win over critics, though (but who cares about them in this genre??), the makers need to bring something new to the table, and this, Made of Honor does not do. After all, this is a money-making crowd pleaser and does not pretend to be anything else. It delivers the laughs and is agreeable overall, but don't expect it to bring anything new to the table, not even memorable quotes or a unique soundtrack.
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1/10
this movie was so awesome
narrowfilm6 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
man, i really enjoyed this movie, but then i tend to enjoy movies where actors phone in their performances. have you ever seen anyone look as bored as sydney pollack? how 'bout the scene where he repeatedly calls bogart a "pussy." such energy. you can tell he really wanted to say those lines.

also, i like how the way they get you to sympathize with tom is by showing him petting dogs. oh, you missed it the first time? don't worry, they use the same scene about fifty times throughout the course of the movie. it warmed my icey heart.

i also liked the relationship tom had with his male friends. being a man, i felt it was an incredibly realistic portrayal of male bonding and the kinds of friendships i have with guys. again, totally believable. it honestly felt as though all the male characters were actually ONE CHARACTER with their dialogue divided into four different speaking roles. because they all had exactly the same personality.

how 'bout that one guy, dennis? man, he is such a dude. such a stone-cold, rugged, savage dude. "i'm gonna go to a strip club and eat some meat, then get into a fight." way to tell it to 'em, dennis.

i also like how after tom and hannah got into a fight, all was resolved 24 hours later and they never mentioned it again. yep.

i think sydney pollack summed up this movie with one word (culled from the aforementioned, destined-to-be-a-classic "pussy" scene): "crap." but say it with extremely low energy, 'cause that's all this movie deserves.
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10/10
Great movie
smkmamd1 May 2008
I too was wondering how they would pull this off as it has been compared to Best Friends Wedding but in reverse. However, they did it and did it better. I saw a screening last night and it was incredibly well done. I loved it. It was refreshing to see a romantic comedy from a male perspective. Patrick Dempsey was able to handle any situation that came up on screen and make it believable from the humorous to the poignant. His female counterpart also held her own in her character as his friend and romantic interest. You were kept guessing how it would all end until it was wrapped up and with a most satisfactory ending.

Go see this film - I don't think you'll be disappointed. He makes a very good Made of Honor and a happy ending is guaranteed. The scenery in Scotland is gorgeous as well.
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7/10
A nice way to spend your time
barrys821 May 2008
Made of Honor although it is identical to My Best Friend's Wedding except for the ending, believe it or not it is a very enjoyable romantic comedy. It has all the ingredients to entertain and spend a really good time with whoever you want to. It is very funny and romantic without being corny. The story about a man, Tom Bailey who is in love with his best friend Claire. But Tom has a fear of commitment and refuses to admit the obvious When Colin, a rich Scotsman sweeps Claire off her feet and asks for her hand in marriage, Tom must witness her unquestioned happiness up close and personal--because she has chosen him to be her Maid Of Honor. The cast was very well chosen. Patrick Dempsey made a very decent and convincing performance, Michelle Monaghan look very cute in this role and acts very good also. The couple of Dempsey and Monaghan was great, they have really good chemistry between them. One of the best thins of the movie are the locations, between Scotland and New York you see lots of beautiful places. In conclusion, a movie specially made for women but that men can enjoy as well.
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3/10
Romantic comedy that is way worse than the trailer makes it out to be
KineticSeoul19 February 2011
This is a very safe movie that has nothing challenging about it. Now for a romantic comedy it's sort of passable, but this movie just plain sucked. It's a romantic comedy without any comedy. If you thought the trailer to this was bad, the movie is way worse. Just about everything about it is way too predictable and will go exactly the way you think it will go, at least for those that seen some romantic comedies. Everything about this movie is so very generic, the only positive thing I can say about this movie is that it's bearable but that is about it. Almost nothing in this was even slightly original. None of the jokes were even remotely funny or enjoyable, and almost every aspect of this movie was just lame and ridiculous. This is a pretty crappy chick flick, not that I particularly like chick flicks but there are way better ones out there.

3.5/10
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6/10
This movie tells and doesn't show
moth-king3 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The story isn't the issue. If you're watching it, you should already expect the typical RomCom formula. It's why they are such dependable, feel good movies we go to to have a nice couple of hours of gushy, by the book romance.

The issue starts in the script and execution. We are told about Tom and Hannah's friendship, but never see it. The characters blurt out forced lines to let us know how they know each other and their likes and dislikes. He knows how she likes her food and she listens to his stories about his one night stands, and they spend one day, not talking to each other, but telling the audience that they have this great friendship that we don't get to see, just hear about. Then she leaves and he tries to recreate all these moment he had with her in that one day with his dates, and I suppose this is meant to be enough for us to believe that he deserves her. There's a montage of them missing each other but we never get to feel why they do. The second half of the film is a series of tricks and lies and attempts to sabotage her wedding. I won't complain and say, he should just talk to her, because... again, romcoms are meant to stretch things out, otherwise there's not story. The issue is, by the third act I felt like I was left to wonder why I was meant to root for them when I hadn't seen a genuine moment between them. Tom has more deeper heartfelt moments with his dad than he did with Hannah. It's a cute story but directors should depend less time on expositional moments and just more genuine ones.
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