Lana’s daughter Emma returns from London and announces that she’s getting married next month. Things become more complicated when Lana learns that the man who stole Emma’s heart is the son of the man who broke hers years ago.
Chuck says:
I’d be hard pressed to think of one original thing in Mark Waters’ “Mother of the Bride,” a tepid, by-the-numbers rom-com that, despite its blandness was likely a pleasant experience for all involved. Shot in Phuket, Thailand, the tropical region provides a stunning backdrop for this languid effort. If nothing else, the film may increase tourism to the region. Beyond that…
So, believing that it is a small world after all is the key to buying into the premise. Emma and RJ (Miranda Cosgrove and Sean Teale) get engaged and plan on getting married in a month. Problem is, what with them being in London and her mother, Lana (Brooke Shields), in California, Emma hasn’t gotten around to mentioning that she is dating anyone, let alone on the cusp of being married.
Money is no object where the nuptials are concerned, so off to Thailand we go where Lana meets RJ’s father Will (Benjamin Bratt) who, get this, was her ex-boyfriend from college who broke her heart! Awkward! Will an old spark be rekindled? Will misunderstandings occur that will ruin this reunion? Will I repeatedly check my phone to see what time it is while watching this stultifyingly dull movie?
The lack of originality is exacerbated by numerous pratfalls and sloppy scenes of slapstick which adds to the air of desperation that permeates the production. Seeing the two leads accidentally fall into a pool not once, but twice, speaks to the hopeless nature of this enterprise. Other trips and falls ensue as do other embarrassing situations (Will walks out of the shower, not knowing Lana is the next room!), present simply to pad the 90-minute running time.
While Shields and Bratt are capable actors, there’s little spark between them. Their scenes are labored, lacking in urgency or mirth. Though somewhat different in premise, the dynamic in 2022’s “Ticket to Paradise” between George Clooney and Julia Roberts was much the same. And yet, those two screen veterans make that film endurable and at times, amusing.
That being said, I doubt Clooney and Roberts could have salvaged this “Frankenstein”-like script by Robin Bernheim. The numerous, tattered situations she stitches together here have been used so often they’re incapable of being rejuvenated. In the end, “Bride” ends up being as forgettable as it is derivative.
1 1/2 Stars
