Made of Honor

NEW YORK (CNS) -- In "Made of Honor" (Columbia), callous playboy Tom (Patrick Dempsey) comes to realize he loves his longtime best friend, Hannah (Michelle Monaghan). The two had met in college when Tom accidentally climbed into her bed by mistake, getting their warm but platonic relationship off to a shaky start.

In the 10 years that follow, Tom becomes a wealthy entrepreneur and Hannah is a successful art restorer. He dates (and beds) women at an alarming rate, and even has a rule about not sleeping with the same woman twice in a row. All the while, he and Hannah meet for lunches, talk on the phone incessantly and are each other's closest confidants.

Tom's epiphany happens when Hannah goes overseas on a business trip, and their attempts at long-distance chatting are frustrated. He informs his incredulous basketball buddies that he now knows he truly loves her. When she gets back, he's all set to propose, flowers in hand, but she joyfully announces she's gotten herself engaged to a Scottish lord, Colin (Kevin McKidd).

Inwardly, of course, she's always loved Tom, but had assumed he'd never be willing to settle down (he's seemingly only capable of saying the words "I love you" to cute dogs he pets on the street).

As Tom's her best friend, Hannah asks him to be her "maid of honor" joining her three girlfriend bridesmaids, one of whom (Busy Philipps) is sore at Tom for dumping her sometime earlier.

He humbly accepts the offer on the advice of his friends, as doing so will allow him to be in her company and he will be able to dissuade her from the marriage.

Off they go to Scotland and Colin's castle -- his stern family owns a distillery -- for the wedding. (The spectacular Scottish vistas are ravishingly photographed by Tony Pierce-Roberts, as are the earlier New York scenes.)

Dempsey is charming, and becomes increasingly likable as the picture progresses and his character forgoes his reprobate ways. Monaghan is equally appealing, though her part is not as substantial.

Paul Welland's formulaic but ultimately winning film -- story and screenplay by first-timer Adam Sztykiel (co-written with Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan) -- starts with some highly problematic elements having to do with the playboy's unbridled love life and his father's (Sydney Pollack) succession of failed marriages.

But it ultimately settles into a sentimental story about the hero learning the true meaning of love while generally promoting an acceptable moral worldview.

The film contains nongraphic encounters, divorce, alcohol use, innuendo, and some crude words and expressions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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