Release Date: 16 May 2004 in France (Cannes Film Market)
Rated: Rated PG-13 for sexual content including dialogue. (also edited version)
Runtime: 90
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Director: Clare Kilner
Cast: Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, Amy Adams, Jack Davenport, Sarah Parish, Jeremy Sheffield
Kat Ellis (Debra Messing) is asking for trouble when she hires a male escort, the best in New York, to take her to her step-sister’s wedding in London. Forced to face a mother who gives a speech about her eldest daughter’s failure to get married first at the engagement party and an ex-boyfriend she still loves, as well as pretend that the extremely handsome Nick (Dermot Mulroney) is her boyfriend, Kat feels that she is in for a miserable time. We hope that she’ll reconcile with her ex, Jeffrey, but does fate have other plans in store for career-girl, Kat?
There are funny scenes when Nick teases Kat about her old affection for the Australian pop group, Air Supply, and her ex-boyfriend tries to tell her something but is tongue-tied. Kat’s shock when she sees Nick naked and efforts to make her ex jealous also provide amusing moments.
But the film also has its serious moments as Kat struggles with her developing feelings for Nick, her love for Jeffrey (Jeremy Sheffield) and her step-sister’s doubts about her wedding.
This is a magical and very moving, romantic comedy in which a love affair is sensitively portrayed. Kat’s issues with her family are very easy to identify with and so is her difficulty with trying to get over Jeffrey. Nick’s profession is also dealt with well and Kat, who disapproves at first, gradually grows to respect him as he shows his intelligence and understanding of people.
A great soundtrack including songs by The Corrs and the velvet sound of Michael Buble helps the fast pace of the film and every song is well-chosen for this movie. The beautiful photography of the New York skyline, London and the English countryside makes this movie lovely to look at. The stars who all play the parts well, especially Debra Messing, who plays the shy and sweet Kat with great charm, and the very good-looking Dermot Mulroney. The script is quite cleverly adapted from the book, Asking for Trouble by Elizabeth Young providing good tension between Kat, Nick and Jeffrey.
This movie has everything for lovers of movie romance.
