Made of Honor and Other Friend Romances

Hollywood is fascinated with best friends falling in love stories. OK- maybe it is not just Hollywood but a tremendous amount of people all over the world. Made of Honor is a 2008 romcom starring Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan. Thomas (Patrick Dempsey) has met Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) in college. She was a refreshing change from all the women he is used to: she is brutally honest and immune to his charm. So they become and remain friends. Tom continues to be a womanizer and Hannah’s best bud. However one day Hannah goes to Scotland on business and wham! She comes back with a romantic, rich and royal Scot (Kevin McKidd). He has knocked her off her feet and moreover, they are engaged. It crushes Tom. For one, while Hannah has been away for weeks, he realizes how much he misses her, how much she means to him…and well, surprise surprise…that she is the one! Don’t mind the sarcasm. I saw this movie and enjoyed it. It is just that I am not the biggest fan of plots including mates falling in love. I know it happens in real life and all that but I’d rather have a story that two strangers meet and fall in love. It doesn’t mean I didn’t have a blast watching Friends when Monica and Chandler got together but when the writers developed a crush between Joey and Rachel, it was just too much. It felt like they were stuck -which I get by the way- writing new episodes all the time can’t be easy but you just can’t try to pair up every friend.

I know you can think about at least a dozen of films entertaining the concept but let’s just concentrate on Made of Honor for a moment. Now, Hannah is totally clueless about Tom’s epiphany so she asks him to be the maid of honor. Well, Tom decided to take on the job only to have a chance at preventing the wedding and getting rid of the Scot. Tom’s plans make for entertaining scenes for men as well. What does eventually happen? Naturally, Hannah realizes Tom is the one too! It is an average yet likable flick. There are enough funny bits- especially the scenes in Scotland- in the film. It is good for a girl’s night in. It is OK for a date. But if you don’t buy into the possibility of last-minute romantic love between friends, you may not “buy” the story. After all, Tom had like 15 years to make up his mind? What if Hannah never went away on a trip? I am not speaking for Kevin McKidd’s character in particular but falling in love with a foreigner makes for a more romantic story than noticing you have met the one 15+ years ago.

I’m just saying.