License to Wed
In theaters July 3, 2007

Buckle up, because we’re taking a ride on the rocky road to marriage in License to Wed, the new comedy starring John Krasinski, Mandy Moore, and Robin Williams, in theaters July 3.

Krasinski and Moore play Ben Murphy and Sadie Jones, an engaged couple who endure Reverend Frank’s (Robin Williams) crash course in Marriage 101 to obtain the coveted, er, “license to wed.” Though ridiculous and unorthodox, the series of tests force them to face the harsh reality and contemplate: Are we really ready to walk down the aisle?

The film is predictable and mawkish at times, causing you to roll your eyes at every hackneyed line or scene in the film. And the slap-stick humor, like the “driving blind” shenanigans and Krasinski getting hit in the nose hard by a baseball (in slow-motion, of course), has been done, and done better. The characters aren’t that deep either; in fact, Krasinski could’ve well been playing Jim Halpert from The Office, and Mandy Moore—well, could’ve just been playing herself.

On a more positive note, the funniest parts of the film include the creepy, but hilarious robot babies Ben and Sadie must care for, and the Rev’s young and endearing apprentice, played by Josh Flitter, who spews out lines like “Jesus didn’t save you. I did,” making him overshadow his mentor just a bit. The Office connection also makes it worthwhile; besides the shows’ director Ken Kwapis and Krasinski, several Office actors make cameo appearances. But the films’ main attraction is Krasinski, who amuses the audience with deadpan expressions and clever delivery of lines, and who’ll definitely get his bounty of female fans into the theaters.

Final Thought: The positives aren’t quite enough to make it worth the $10 movie ticket—so save your money and wait for the DVD.