The Wedding Date (2005)

10% of critics liked it
(137 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(184,867 ratings)

A gal who needs a date for a family function gets the best man money can buy in this romantic comedy. Kat Ellis (Debra Messing) is a woman in her mid-thirties living in New York City and has had more than her share of romantic problems -- enough so that she's gotten word that her younger half-sister… More A gal who needs a date for a family function gets the best man money can buy in this romantic comedy. Kat Ellis (Debra Messing) is a woman in her mid-thirties living in New York City and has had more than her share of romantic problems -- enough so that she's gotten word that her younger half-sister Amy (Amy Adams) is getting married, and that her mother Bunny (Holland Taylor) and father Victor (Peter Egan) want to fix her up with someone so she won't look alone and miserable for the big day. Adding insult to injury, Kat learns that the best man at the ceremony will be Jeffrey (Jeremy Sheffield), a former boyfriend who cruelly dumped her without warning two years before. Determined not to show up alone, Kat swallows her pride and hires Nick Mercer (Dermot Mulroney), a professional escort, who will pose as her boyfriend for a $6,000 fee. Kat and Nick fly to England for the wedding, and her family and friends are all struck by how charming, handsome, and personable Nick is -- and Kat begins wondering if their relationship has to be all business; however, as it turns out, Nick understands Kat far better than she expects. The Wedding Date was based on the novel Asking for Trouble by British author Elizabeth Young. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Clare Kilner
Written By: Dana Fox
Genres: Drama, Romance, Comedy

In Theaters: Feb 4, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Aug 16, 2005
Studio: Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
Nothing says true love like a movie about a desperate, neurotic woman who hires a male whore to take her to her sister's wedding so she can make the ex-fiance jealous. I wonder if they have a Vermont Teddy Bear for that?
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
This is a charmless, lifeless affair that had me leaving the theater in a mood more appropriate to a funeral than a wedding.
Jennifer Snow, Village Voice
Clare Kilner's cast frolics in the countryside in an appropriately British-romantic-comedy fashion, and at times the characters trade silly snaps, but Dana Fox's screenplay is structurally shaky.
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
Mulroney is a stealth actor: Whenever you see him in a picture, you're not just reminded of how good he almost always is -- you have the sense of discovering it for the first time.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
Admittedly, no part of the year is immune to bad romantic comedies. But what distinguishes The Wedding Date, what qualifies it so impeccably for turkey season, goes way beyond generic foulness.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
An epic comic miscalculation.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
As stale as last week's wedding cake.
Doris Toumarkine, Film Journal International
As predictable as a church ceremony and witless as the pastor's blessings, leaving one to ponder this wedding's "reception."
Camerin Courtney, Christianity Today
While there are many of the right ingredients here -- a likable cast, plot potential, a dreamy English countryside setting -- I still can't say "I do" to this fluffy flick.
Brent Simon, Now Playing Magazine
A few eccentricities and its ensemble nature... make the movie a quite bad fit for anyone predisposed to want to see a bouncy little flick called The Wedding Date.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
A dupla principal até que se esforça (principalmente Mulroney, que vem se especializando neste tipo de personagem), mas o roteiro repleto de clichês frustra suas tentativas.
Michael Szymanski, International Press Academy
The extras are cute even if the film isn't.
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
It's definitely easier to like the film when you're listening to star Debra Messing's commentary.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
The main problem with the film is that it seems to be missing a sequence where we see Kat and Nick actually falling for each other - the script pretty much expects us to take it for granted just because they're the leads.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Bethany M

Really good romantic comedy! Made me fall in love with Dermot Mulroney.
Candy R

Kat (Debra) is looking for a date for her sister's wedding so she hires an escort to make her ex jealous. Some secrets are revealed at the wedding and things get complicated with the escort. Good cast and good storyline. I'd kill the sister!
Jani H

"Holy crap. You're worth every penny." Everyone's seen 'Pretty Woman', the film that made Julia Robert's lips the sexiest thing on earth back in 1990. In that movie, a man falls in love with a prostitute (or was it the other way around?) and you can… More
"Holy crap. You're worth every penny." Everyone's seen 'Pretty Woman', the film that made Julia Robert's lips the sexiest thing on earth back in 1990. In that movie, a man falls in love with a prostitute (or was it the other way around?) and you can say that love conquered all. But then again, that's like every teenagers fantasy... Falling in love with a hooker. Or is it? Enough of the bullshit and back to the topic. 'The Wedding Date' is like 'Pretty Woman' but the other way around. Here the man is an escort and the woman is the one paying for the services. But there's no lips of Julia nowhere to be seen. Debra Messing's character is on her way to her sister's (Amy Adams) wedding in England. Her former boyfriend is the bestman and there's like no way she's going there alone! You gotta like make the former one jealous. Dah. So the answer to her problems is the Yellow pages. Double Dah. Off to England and her messed up relationships there. But it's her luck that the male escort (Dermot Mulroney) is a charmer. Cupid's just around the corner... (SPOILER?) I just didn't get it. I guess I missed the part where people actually fell in love? Or was it even written in the film? It's just hard to imagine that a person would fall for a person who takes money for services like this. But then again I'm not that romantic. Was there a saying that the hooker's have a heart of gold or something? Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney have a good chemistry, so it's a good thing and a necessity in a romantic comedy. I'm strictly straight but even I would've come in my pants if Mulroney's velvety rough voice would whisper softly in my ears and tease me by kissing... Did I actually write this? Well, enough with the "oh-I'm-trying-to-be-funny" shit. 'The Wedding Date' was enough of a good romcom to be seen once. I didn't understand the person's actions but it's not my genre. I'm not in to romantic comedies, even if Julia's lips would star in the movie. Some occasional funny scenes and two good leads. Worth a watch with female company.
Lady D

Not an altogether, original Rom Com, with reminders of many other films but this U.S meet the U.K plot gives a real mixture of Actors and characters. Whilst it is predictable and corny it's very watchable and definitely one of the better Romantic Comedies I feel
♥Robyn

yes i know its one of those really nice mushy,sweet, romantic movies but, i loved it!!!!
Wahida K

Love doesn't come cheap. I have a tiny bit problem when I watch a Movie with Ruppert Everet and Dermot Mulroney. I always think D.M is Ruppert Everet. So embarrassing.
Jake .

Is The Wedding Date good? Absolutely not! Is it entertaining? Sort of.... Idk, I feel like I should not actual rate of review this movie. Generally, I hate these type of films. So, how accurate of a rating can I possibly give? The Wedding Date could accomplish apsolutely every it set… More
Is The Wedding Date good? Absolutely not! Is it entertaining? Sort of.... Idk, I feel like I should not actual rate of review this movie. Generally, I hate these type of films. So, how accurate of a rating can I possibly give? The Wedding Date could accomplish apsolutely every it set out too. I watched a movie that was cliched and predictible, but it kind of seems like that's what it should do. Amy Adams generally amazes me, but this would have to be the first mediocre performance I've seen from her. Idk, its kind of funny and I liked the guy who played her ex-no idea what his name is There really are no major compliments I can give too this film. BUT, it really is not bad, I honestly can say I enjoyed watching it. Why? I have absolutely no idea... So, give it a shot. At the absolute worst you will waste 90 minutes. In the big sceme of things that really isn't much. Or if you do not, you really have not missed much either.
Anthony L

Shoddy story, awful performances with a script that sounded like it was written by a 12 boy in love. Adams, Messing and Davenport hang your heads in shame, your better than this. However, Mulroney, Sheffield and the ever awful Sarah Parish, we expected no less! If you're gonna… More
Shoddy story, awful performances with a script that sounded like it was written by a 12 boy in love. Adams, Messing and Davenport hang your heads in shame, your better than this. However, Mulroney, Sheffield and the ever awful Sarah Parish, we expected no less! If you're gonna miss a film this year, make sure it's this one!
Cassie H

This movie is great if you're looking for the cutest and sweetest romantic comedy. I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch this movie since I had hated Durmot in Must Love Dogs, but that was just the role he had to play and in this movie his character was the complete opposite… More
This movie is great if you're looking for the cutest and sweetest romantic comedy. I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch this movie since I had hated Durmot in Must Love Dogs, but that was just the role he had to play and in this movie his character was the complete opposite and was adorable. Debra Messing had a great performance as well. Definetly worth watching!!! I love this movie! :)
Julie B

this was really bad. the person who made me see it was in trouble for several weeks afterwards.
Rachel F

I liked it. I'm a sucker for romantic comedies, though.
Film C

ive seen this its a good film funny but you will only enjoy it if you like romatic comedys really
Red L

Too predictable. Girl hires an escort to impress her family at her sister's wedding. Well guess what happens!
Dean !

An ok rom-com but not as funny as some others out there.
Dean M

Very good hilarious romantic comedy with beautiful Debra Messing finding a perfect guy as her escort date for the wedding.
Leigh R

Cute..
Mouhannad S

I thought this movie was perfect if your looking for a lighthearted romantic comedy. It lifts your mood and leaves you with that warm fuzzy feeling when it ends. I really thought that the actors worked well together, and the script was smart and funny and really well put together. It… More
I thought this movie was perfect if your looking for a lighthearted romantic comedy. It lifts your mood and leaves you with that warm fuzzy feeling when it ends. I really thought that the actors worked well together, and the script was smart and funny and really well put together. It doesn't really have a background serious motif, except that if you want something you really need to go out and get it, but some of the lines could be used as life- quotes or whatever if you really wanted to. Dermot's character is pretty interesting, and the stuff he says is basically true, when you think about it. Really, though, it's just your basic romantic comedy: fun to watch but easily forgotten.
Deb S

"I'd rather fight with you than make love with anyone else." Plot: The story revolves around Kat, (Debra Messing) who plays the typical single New Yorker who is invited to her younger sister's wedding in London. What should be a joyous occasion bodes disaster… More
"I'd rather fight with you than make love with anyone else." Plot: The story revolves around Kat, (Debra Messing) who plays the typical single New Yorker who is invited to her younger sister's wedding in London. What should be a joyous occasion bodes disaster for Kat, however, when she discovers that the best man will be none other than her ex-fiancé, who, two years before, inexplicably dumped her. In a desperate attempt to face the ordeal with dignity, she hires Dermot Mulroney (a male escort) to pose as her boyfriend and escort her to the wedding. Dermot Mulroney was a nice surprise - he managed to confer some of the sophisticated, suave yet mysterious and charming refinement his character required, and looked quite natural doing it. "The hardest thing is loving someone and then having the courage to let them love you back."
Nicolas K

Predictable yet enjoyable.
William G

Staggeringly unoriginal, unfunny, and unnecessary.