The Wedding Ringer – Movie Review by Frances Winston

Directed by: Jeremy Garelick

Starring: Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Alan Ritchson, Cloris Leachman, Mimi Rogers, Ken Howard, Affion Crockett, Jorge Garcia, Josh Peck

In cinemas February 20th

Most people look to their circle of family and friends when deciding who they would like to have as a member of their wedding party but for Billy No Mates Doug Harris (Gad – aka the voice of Olaf in Frozen) who has no one in his life worthy of the title Best Man, never mind groomsman. With his beautiful Bridezilla fiancée Gretchen (Cuoco-Sweeting) planning a lavish wedding that includes seven members in each parties wedding entourage he starts to panic and decides to call on the professionals.

Enter Jimmy Callahan (Hart) a professional Best Man who will ensure that you look wonderful, popular and enjoy a full Groom experience for a nominal fee. However Doug isn’t just looking for a Best Man he wants his multiple groomsmen as well – something known as the “Golden Tux” that Jimmy has never pulled off. Initially refusing Doug’s pleading eventually wins him around and he assembles a motley crew of dubious characters and sets about training them in preparation for Doug’s big day. However they also have to convince Gretchen and her family that Doug and Jimmy (posing as Bic Mitchum – a priest!) are long term best buds and Doug turns out to be a far needier client than Jimmy is used to dealing with and as they try to pull off the elaborate hoax he can’t help but find himself drawn to the bumbling but well meaning groom who only wants to make his bride to be happy.

Since real life weddings are the source of so much drama and comedy it is not surprising that screenwriters look to them for inspiration and this is just the latest in a long line of comedies based around the big day. More bromance than rom com it is actually more than slightly reminiscent of an Adam Sandler movie. The jokes are often puerile, racist, homophobic, misogynistic, gross out and offensive and the physical comedy is slap stick and in your face. That said I enjoyed it more than I expected to. Yes, it ticks all the above boxes but it knows it and doesn’t pretend to be something that it’s not. Hart and Gad have a great chemistry together and really bounce off each other at every turn and the supporting cast all step up to the plate. The story is pretty standard fare and while the script isn’t great, sharp delivery from the actors gives it an edge that it lacks on the page.

Although this is predictable it has a lot of heart and keeps you watching long after you would have walked out of some similar fare. I was surprised to find myself laughing out loud at parts and it does have the feel good factor. It also doesn’t drag out the premise coming in at an acceptable one hour and forty minutes. This is by no means a classic comedy but it will definitely tickle your funny bone and is far better than its premise suggests. If you are looking for a few giggles that don’t demand too much post movie analysis this is the movie for you.