Kiss the Bride (2007)

In high school, Matt and Ryan were best friends. More than friends, actually. But in the ensuing ten years, they've lost contact. So when Matt receives an invitation to Ryan's wedding he's ... See full summary »

Director:

C. Jay Cox

Writer:

Tyler Lieberman

Stars:

Tori Spelling, Philipp Karner, James O'Shea

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tori Spelling	...	Alex Golski
Philipp Karner	...	Matt Roman
James O'Shea	...	Ryan Woodson
Joanna Cassidy	...	Evelyn Golski
Tess Harper	...	Barbara
Robert Foxworth	...	Wayne Woodson
Garrett M. Brown	...	Gerald Golski
Amber Benson	...	Elly Golski
Michael Medico	...	Chris
Steve Sandvoss	...	Sean
Jane Cho	...	Stephanie
E.E. Bell	...	Dan the Mattress King
Brooke Dillman	...	Virginia
Dean McDermott	...	Plumber
Elizabeth Kell	...	Monica

Storyline

In high school, Matt and Ryan were best friends. More than friends, actually. But in the ensuing ten years, they've lost contact. So when Matt receives an invitation to Ryan's wedding he's surprised - especially that Ryan is marrying a woman! Matt interrupts his ideal alternative lifestyle to return to his hometown. He plans to rescue his former love from whatever "she-devil" has trapped him into this huge mistake. On the other hand, Ryan's perky fiancé Alex takes quite the liking to Matt. Is she very cunning, disarmingly ditsy, completely adorable - or all three? As Matt tries to rekindle the old flame, Ryan is intent on putting out any sparks. Ryan dismisses their old romance as just a high school thing, but Matt realizes Ryan may still be the love of his life. All the while, Matt must deal with "his new best friend" Alex, the two families, and a hometown he thought he'd left entirely in the past. As the wedding day fast approaches (like a meteor hurtling toward ground zero), old ...

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Plot Keywords:

love | high school | wedding | best friend | secret | 

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Taglines:

Guess who's coming out for the wedding?

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content and language

Details

Official Sites:

MySpace Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 July 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Embrassez le marié!

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$8,811 (USA) (18 April 2008)

Gross:

$31,937 (USA) (11 July 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shadow Factory, here! Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Both fathers are shown teeing off in the golf sequence and yet as the golfers leave the green, only one of the golf bags on the fathers' cart contains any woods.

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Quotes

Elly: You know, these aren't dresses. They're fucking costumes.
Alex: Well, maybe at least my costume will make it into the church.
Elly: Bitch!
Alex: That's Mrs. Bitch to you.

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Connections

References My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Teche"
Performed by Ginger Kinison
Written by Ginger Kinison and David R. Woeckener
Published by My Free and Clear Music (ASCAP)

User Reviews

A film as good as "Shelter" this one ain't.................

I'll admit that on first watching I was mightily disappointed, particularly in view of what I consider C. Jay Cox's much better, gay-related work, "Latter Days." However, repeat viewings of "Bride" have resulted in my initial impression taking on a somewhat more positive spin, as you may gather from other of my comments, below. In this work it seems the director and writer are trying to tell.....no, make that show.....us that sexual preference (if not also orientation), is not just a black or white, a yes or no thing; rather it's a continuum and can change over time. Still, even if you consider that theme to be well handled, in no way does this production come close to achieving/maintaining the high interest levels being attained by that other recent gay film, "Shelter" directed by newcomer Jonah Markowitz.}

If by now you're wondering, this movie......if it's anything......is a "seriocomedy." It is NOT a gay romance (although at an earlier, teenage time in our two male leads' lives, there might have been the beginning spark of romance----no, come to think of it, even then it was more likely to have been just youthful lust). So, with that out of the way, you might ask how this production works as a semi-serious comedy. On this, all I can say is that in such a genre, comic timing is everything, and I suspect that comedy performance has not been the background of either of our male leads (but older, supporting cast members Tess Harper and Robert Foxworth keep the chuckles coming fairly reliably). Karner / O'Shea almost get it on the button at times.......but a successful comedy needs more than "almost" when it comes to timing. Still, what Philipp Karner (Matt) does do well is deliver sincerity---and you're going to like him for that. And then there's James O'Shea (Ryan), who effectively gives us a "confused sweetness"---you'll fall for that as well. Oh, yes, and he also "puts out" for us in the form of a good looking face and an excellent body (and er, ahem, that includes a great ass and a nice package---more than enough there to have shared with a Karner, who could stand a "boost" in those departments). As for Spelling, I'm not a "Tori-fan," but she does come across as miles better here than she was in another gay film, "Trick." Along with secondary character actress Amber Benson, we also have Steve Sandvoss, and both are "carryovers" from "Latter Days." Sandvoss' character and a "buddy," played by Michael Medico, are given fairly frightful parts in the opinion of this viewer. Even so, it's too bad that whoever put together/approved the Cast List for the film's Closing Credits didn't know enough to realize they'd gotten these two player's character names reversed (that must make one feel good as an actor).

One last point, for those of you who might keep up with such things: Karner does get from O'Shea a lot better lip-locks (both in quality and number) than does Spelling. How about them apples?

PS--This DVD won't get tossed out in the trash (as some have been)----but it's hardly likely to make it onto this viewer's "Addictive" list*** either.

***Other films which are habit formers: "Just a Question of Love" / "Brokeback Mountain" / "Boy Culture" / "All Over the Guy" / "Second Skin (Unrated Version)" / "The Man I Love" / "The Man of My Life" (maybe for older viewers) / "Oh Happy Day" (you just gotta take in this one) / "Fashion Victims" (only if you've got a Region 2 DVD player)

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