Wedding Daze (2006) / Comedy-Romance
aka The Pleasure of Your Company
aka The Next Girl I SeeMPAA Rated: R for sexual content and some language
Running time: 90 min.
Cast: Jason Biggs, Isla Fisher, Joe Pantoliano, Edward Herrmann, Joanna Gleeson, Audra Blaser, Ebon Mocc-Bacharach, Chris Diamantopolous, Margo Martindale, Mark Consuelos, Heather Goldenhersh, Rob Corddry
Director: Michael Ian Black
Screenplay: Michael Ian Black
Review published June 6, 2007
Anderson (Biggs, Eight Below) is head over heels with Vanessa (Blaser, Bandidas), so much so that he's ready to pop the big question. Just before getting his answer, Vanessa keels over, dead instantly, leaving Anderson despondent and unable to resolve that there will be another woman as perfect in his lifetime. On a dare from his best bud, Anderson proposes to his waitress, a complete stranger named Katie (Fisher, Wedding Crashers), in a local diner, not knowing she would do anything to avoid getting out of a proposal of her own from a guy who is completely perfect, at least from her parents point of view. Though initially not serious, as the two get to know one another, they actually contemplate giving their relationship a go.
Michael Ian Black may be a funny personality as a bit player on sketch comedy TV shows and in fluffy-as-cotton movies, while also an expert on trivia of the 1980s as seen on VH-1, but one thing he isn't, at least as evidenced here, is an effective writer and director of romantic comedies. His style of humor is acerbic, self-conscious and somewhat absurd, and in trying to channel his straight-faced barbs into a cutesy rom-com with adorable actors, nothing seems harmonious enough to evoke the requisite chuckles or affection for the characters and their plights. In fact, there isn't a likeable character in the bunch, often fluctuating between incessant whininess and out-and-out obnoxiousness as the scenes dictate. As we never care whether the two would-be lovers ever do get it together in the end, there's nothing to root for, except perhaps for the end credits, of course, which were just far too long in coming for my taste.
Although not completely devoid of laughs, they come few and very far between, and you'll probably zone out from utter boredom to bother trying to catch them all long before the halfway point. Biggs digs up his dreadfully worn-out bundle-of-insecurity shtick, and Fisher is cute as can be, and always quite watchable, but not really a gifted on-the-spot comedienne, so her appearance is a waste altogether. The supporting cast is colorful, but they aren't able to muster even an ounce of humor or interest in their one-dimensional characters, who are mostly grating and largely foul-mannered. Dumb jokes involving a father (Herrmann, Intolerable Cruelty) giving his son his trusty cock ring, recurring depictions of middle-aged kink, accidental chewing on a diaphragm which makes its way into a sandwich, and gross-out gags like Fisher getting a face full of saliva and toothpaste are among the film's "highlights".
Wedding Daze is bland, unfunny, and laborious to sit through, without any interest for anyone not a die-hard fan of one of the main players. Michael Ian Black may know a thing or two about growing up in the 1980s, but only someone nostalgic for sophomoric comedies made 5-10 years ago (American Pie, Meet the Parents, There's Something About Mary), done poorly, will find any of the manic shenanigans remotely coming close to even grazing the funny bone.Qwipster's rating:
©2007 Vince Leo
