License to Wed: DVD, HD DVD, Blu-ray Movie Review (2007)

License revoked.

This junk romantic comedy has such disdain for its audience, it’s impossible to let it pass without taking it to task.

Mandy Moore and John Krasinski are Sadie and Ben, two grinning lovebirds who meet at Starbucks, fall for each other over the coffee beans, and then agree to marry when Ben pops the question.

Enter the Rev. Frank (Robin Williams), a creep of the first order who agrees to officiate their marriage, though not without a hitch. First, they must take Rev. Frank's pre-marriage counseling course, which is meant to mirror the presumed hell that is married life.

Frank’s thinking is this: If Ben and Sadie can survive his bizarre boot camp, they should be able to survive marriage. As such, he immediately puts the kibosh on sex, going so far as to bug their apartment to make certain there is no canoodling. Later, he saddles them with fake infants who cry so incessantly, they alone could put Angelina Jolie off children forever.

The film’s cynicism isn’t just an irritant, it’s the monster in the room. Presumably, Frank’s meddling is meant to make Ben and Sadie a stronger couple, but really, it’s only there to tear them apart so the film can enjoying its cloying reconciliation.

Rated PG-13. Grade: BOMB