REVIEW

DVD Review: License to Wed

Written by Matt Paprocki
Published November 09, 2007

A redundant, clichéd, predictable romantic comedy is the only way to describe License to Wed. Anyone who has sat through one of these sugary, sappy-ended romances knows where this will end up. It thrives on some decent laughs and Robin Williams pulling off his typical shtick, which for the right audience can save the substandard romance.

Mandy Moore is always bubbly and likable, and with co-star John Krasinski, she meshes well on screen. Robin Williams plays the pastor set to marry them in three weeks, but forces couples to prove they're meant for each other to avoid divorce by completing his self-crafted course in love. As comedy, all this sets up is the opportunity for awkward and occasionally creepy scenarios.

Krasinski's character takes the brunt of the impact from Williams love tester. In fact, it almost never seems to affect Moore, making the eventual breakdown from the male lead seem perfectly logical instead of making him into the jerk as intended. Most people wouldn't make it halfway through this ridiculous course before breaking down.

The rules are set, forcing the couple to not have sex, and Williams literally spying on them via electronics planted in their home. The creepy/stalker factor is completely off the charts even for a light comedy, and when he tosses two of the freakiest looking robot babies at them, you'll probably give up trying to make sense out of anything going on.

Granted, these goofy challenges lead to some laughs, especially when the robot babies go crazy inside Macy's and Krasinski begins bashing one of them against a counter to the dismay of onlookers. Jokes are inconsistently paced, and the final half hour loses any sense of comedy as the relationship breakdown kicks in as expected.

At a brisk 90-minutes, fans of the genre will have some fun. It's mostly inoffensive, and barely earns the PG-13. It's one for a boring day where you have some free time to spare, though it's hardly worth your time otherwise.

Impossibly ugly compression makes the first half hour nearly unwatchable. First generation DVDs looked better than this. It cleans up to an average level as the film progresses, while the saturated colors don't help. Artifacts are still easily noticeable as the movie continues, and are hardly made up for the by the solid black levels.

Even during crowded sequences, including a scene inside a busy department store, the rear speakers remain out of work. Dialogue driven, there's little to expect, but some ambience wouldn't hurt.

Extras are barren though enjoyable. Twelve minutes of deleted scenes are available with or without a commentary. This includes an alternate opening. The last section of features are a collection of calls from the film's "Choir Boy." These are priceless clips of a secondary character in the film letting callers know his feelings on various relationship topics.

Don't turn the movie off at the ending even if you're disgusted with it as a whole. The credits roll to some great outtakes, including some scenes that didn't make it into the finished film. If you've made it that far, you might as well stick around for a few more minutes.

Matt Paprocki is the former reviews editor for Digital Press. The deep game collection, which spans nearly 30 systems and 2,000 games, lines his walls for research purposes. Matt strives to bring credibility to video game journalism, and to aid the industry in becoming respected with all forms of entertainment media. He currently freelances for GameArgus.com and MultiPlayerGames.com.
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DVD Review: License to Wed
Published: November 09, 2007
Type: Review
Section: Video
Filed Under: Video: Comedy, Video: Romantic Comedies
Writer: Matt Paprocki
Matt Paprocki's BC Writer page
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