User reviews

Let's make a list of the major flaws in this movie.

1. Jennifer Lopez is one of, if not, the most famous Latina entertainers in the world. Why make her Italian?

2. Justin Chambers is horrible as the love forlorn Italian immigrant. His accent is so bad is ruins his otherwise likable character.

3. Lopez and Matthew McConaughey generate no chemistry. I just did not care what happened to them. I hoped that Lopez would go for the other guy.

4. This movie is an excuse to promote Lopez songs.

Movies in which a bright and intelligent woman falls for a spineless letch are starting to wear on me. I just could not believe that a character as strong a Lopez's would fall for such a weiner.

That said, Brigette Wilson and Alex Rocco are great, and there are some fun moments in this film. But please - did the makers of this film watch the scene where Lopez takes a bottle of "solvent" out of her purse to remove a stone penis that his glued to McConaugehy's hand? Good thing she had that solvent! ** out of ****.

This is a JLO romantic comedy. Make no mistake this movie defines the term "by the numbers". It is predictable to a tee, has the typical "formula" plot and sticks to it rigorously. BUT then again-if your looking for a piece of predictable fluff.... you could do worse.

This maybe predictable but it IS at times mildly entertaining. At lease this is watchable and kind of cute-Although you never believe for a moment that Jennifer Lopez character is anyone other then JLO at least the movie doesn't drag as with a lot of movies of this "formula genre" as I like to call them. It's an entertaining(mildly) way to pass an hour or two-I'd give this 6 out of 10.

I know of a lot of people who don't really like her movies but I am one of those people that do. Every movie I have seen with her in it has been great! This one was no exception. I highly recommend it but only if you like the "corny" (as some say) romantic comedies. If you love movies like Runaway Bride, you'll love this one, I promise.

The only thing more baffling than how movies this bad could ever be made is how movies this bad could go to #1 in the box office. I despair for humanity at times. The Wedding Planner features a rehashed and unoriginal plot, poor acting, no funny moments, and a ridiculous scene where Jennifer Lopez is prepared to risk getting flattened by a runaway dumpster in order to pull her shoe out of a hole in the street. riiiiiight!

True, "The Wedding Planner" does have its share of cinematic conceits. Just watching the previews, you pretty much have a good idea what's going to happen in the end. But unlike many romantic comedies, this is not predictable by the minute. The characters are likable and charming, and you get quite engrossed in them. The actors are charming as well. Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McCoughnahey are equally good and have a fine chemistry. The scenes, in general, are handled in a sweet-natured fashion without becoming nauseatingly sentimental. The opening scene is very original and made me laugh. In the first scene, we get an idea of how Mary (Lopez) plans her weddings, staging them like a secret service operation, strapping wires to the bride and groom, feeding them suggestions as they walk down the aisle and making sure all the guests are in order pronto. There are certain moments of "sitcom stupidity." There's a scene where Steve (McCoughnahey) gets his hand stuck to a statue's privates. The comedy was badly timed and the scene appeared quite lame. A similar joke was used in Rodney Dangerfield's "Meet Wally Sparks," but was done in a much more structured manner and spawned hilarious results. About the member of the cast who I felt was a little hammy was Alex Rocco as Mary's Sicilian father. His accent comes and goes, and in some scenes he struggles so much with it that he starts talking like someone with down syndrome. Fred Willard has a short but funny, scene-stealing role (when hasn't Willard stolen the show?) as a ballroom dance teacher. There are some moments in the plot that are forced and created simply to move the film along, so we can quickly arrive at the "juicy climax." One of the subplots involves Mary's father trying to fix his daughter up with this silly, thick-accented Sicilian cassanova. He wants her to get married to him, but she refuses. Throughout the film, they don't seem to have any more than a friendly bond. Yet later in the film, he makes a sweet proposal and Mary actually agrees to marry him. The ending is far-fetched and over-the-top, and though I can't discuss it you've probably seen this ending before. One thing I have to credit the writers for is refusing to make Fran (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras--Man, is she sooooo beautiful!!!) a total b**ch, like they would in most films of a similiar plot. The way the formula goes is the guy's engaged this girl, while another girl captures his heart. But the girl he's engaged to is usually so unlikable that you wonder why he wanted to marry her in the first place. I'm glad they didn't take that cheap route. Even Fran has a certain charm to her character. The charming characters and the charming actors are really what makes this movie worth seeing. Yes, it's pretty much (though less than usual) a formula romantic comedy, but a likable one because of the way we're captured by the people on screen. This is not a great film, it has its dull moments, it has its silly moments, but it's often a fun and pleasant movie experience. You'll fall in love with "The Wedding Planner."

My score: 7 (out of 10)

Seriously, this movie gets about a negative 20. Jennifer Lopez has always been a mystery to me, why does she do acting? She's obviously awful at it. The characters are pretty flat, the story is painfully predictable and upsettingly trite.

The Wedding Planner tells an identifiable story about falling in love and failing to recognize it.

The Wedding Planner stars Jennifer Lopez as Mary Fiore, a hardworking, beautiful, single woman of Italian descent, who has made a reputable career as a wedding planner. Fully dedicated to her work, Mary successfully coordinates all the details of her wealthy clients' weddings. She even acts as a kind of therapist, transmitting to the brides and grooms-to-be the optimism that relieves them of their "second-thoughts", and that allows them to fulfill their true dreams of marrying. Yet one day, a literal "faux pas" turns Mary's orderly life upside-down: she walks across a street and gets her shoe stuck in a manhole. Just then, a dumpster menacingly rolls down the steep San Francisco street, towards her. Noticing that the dumpster is rapidly gaining speed, a young man rushes to help Mary out of her dilemma. The two are instantly enveloped by the rush of the moment, falling victims to love at first sight. Soon, however, fate shows its cruel side, proving that the handsome Steve Edison (Mathew McConaughey) is tied to Fran Donelly (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras), one of Mary's most promising clients. In the meantime Salvatore (Alex Rocco), Mary's concerned father, tries to inspire her to consider her childhood inamorato Massimo (Justin Chambers), who just arrived from Italy. Torn between acting sensibly and fulfilling her long suppressed dreams of marrying, Mary must first determine which love is the one destined for her.

The Wedding Planner exploits the physical beauty of its star (Lopez) and emphasizes her character's style and professionalism at work, while defining her personality as that of a free-spirited, down-to-earth person who enjoys dancing and playing Bingo with her father and his elderly friends. Similarly, her costar (McConaughey) is depicted as a good-looking, sensitive man who enjoys his work as a pediatrician. However, the film's secondary characters, especially Mary's family, friends and coworkers, are sketchy and mostly inconsequential. Thus, The Wedding Planner creates a story that solely revolves around the coupling of its two main characters; a choice which makes The Wedding Planner's plot extremely predictable, although at times amusing. While the plot complications are limited to the unavailability of either of the two main characters (where Steve is unable to abandon his prior commitments and Mary is ready to take up new ones), The Wedding Planner is most enjoyable when it creates romantic settings for its lovesick characters.

The whole plot seems forced, and things that are not funny are just crammed into this movie by the truckload. Jennifer lopez was rushing her lipstick application when she heard Matthew McConaughey's voice coming. How is that supposed to be funny ? Yet the director seems to think it's funny.

There are many things that seems irrelevant, and stupid.

I definitely recommend to AVOID this movie at all cost.

Jennifer Lopez (who knew she could act?) plays the consummate professional wedding planner -- she's the best in the business and arranges all the most elegant affairs, but she herself hasn't had a date in six years. She gets into a situation and her life is saved by Matthew McConaughey (he played Jodie Foster's fling, in "Contact"), and they end up on the verge of falling in love, when they both discover she's the wedding planner for his upcoming wedding to somebody else. Light-hearted and well-done, it's a familiar story with a few twists of its own, and keeps you interested throughout. Basically a nice, fun story that's done well.

Mary Fiore (Jennifer Lopez) is an ace wedding planner but horrible at love. Penny (Judy Greer) is her funny assistant-best friend combo. Steve Edison (Matthew McConaughey) is the knight in shining armor literally saving her life time after time. Fran Donolly (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras) is his fiancée. All the parts are set up for an enjoyable functional rom-com. They only need to find a better match for Fran and the movie basically writes itself.

Only problem we're introduced to Massimo (Justin Chambers). I'm willing to let go of the horrible acting from the miscast Chambers. It's an annoying Italian stereotype that the super white bread Chambers can't pull off. But why she wouldn't tell the truth right away is beyond me. What's the plan? More importantly why the plan? If she's trying to make Edison jealous, Massimo would be the last man to do it. It makes no sense. It's such a simple movie, and they screw it up so badly.

I've owned this movie for a while, and only needed to see it once before deciding to run to the store to buy it. As a matter of fact, I'm watching it right now, but I got on here and looked it up because I wanted to see what other movies the writer had written (unfortunately---it's the only one.) After looking at the ratings and comments I had to voice my own opinion.

"The Wedding Planner" has everything you could ask from a romantic comedy. Predictability is always a factor, but come on! Do we really watch these types of movies expecting to be surprised at the ending? This film is quirky; all the actors and actresses don't miss a beat and they keep it real. No matter how many times I watch it, I still find something to laugh or smile at.

I haven't yet met a MAN that likes this movie, but if you're a girl that wants something sweet, funny, entertaining, and the "romantic dream"..... in other words: a flick you watch with a pint of ice cream ( =P ) then this is the one for you.

The directing is great, the dialog is entertaining, the acting is enjoyable, the movie over-all is fantastic. It's just sweet...even my mom likes it! O_O

Honestly, stop judging the movie like you're some kind of almighty critic, and watch it for what it is. If you don't like the genre, then pick something else to watch ^_^ Me? I'll stick with "The Wedding Planner".

"The Wedding Planner" is just another romantic comedy, and just another one starring Jennifer Lopez, and just another one starring Matthew McConaughey. As I have said before, Jennifer Lopez has such a beautiful feminine figure that I would prefer to see her as the romantic lead as opposed to most other Hollywood actresses working today. McConaughey is of course sexy with a laid-back charm, but that's just who he is.

This particular romantic comedy isn't all that funny, but the writers did seem to know which elements were necessary and included them. We find out McConaughey's secret the same time Lopez does, which is good because it helps us identify with our main heroine and we don't have to sit uncomfortably before the characters do. They also gave us another man - he's supposed to provide comic relief, and I did at least enjoy him. We also need to dislike the fiancée. Cast Bridgette Wilson and make her a stuck-up snob, so that is easily accomplished.

One thing that I found that "The Wedding Planner" has over lesser romantic comedies, is genuine chemistry between the leads. Although it's certainly lacking in the comedy, I found the romance tangible.

The Wedding Planner (2001) Directed by Adam Shankman. Written by Pamela Falk and Michael Ellis. Starring Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras. Running Time: 100 minutes. PG-13

Ah romance! They meet. They fall in love. They are kept apart by circumstances of the plot. And finally, by the time we reach the bottom of our popcorn boxes, they get back together again. Whether it's Gable and Colbert in 1934, or Lopez and McConaughey in 2001, we love romantic comedies. But let's face it, some are better than others (and few are better than Frank Capra's Oscar-winning classic, "It Happened One Night").

Mary Fiore (Lopez) is a whiz of a wedding planner who seems to be leading the glamorous good life, until you learn that she spends her off hours watching "Antiques Road Show" or playing scrabble with her father (Alex Rocco), a first generation Italian. While hurrying across a San Francisco street one day, her Gucci pump gets caught in a grate just as a runaway dumpster hurtles towards her. The white-coated white knight who comes to her rescue is pediatrician Steve Edison (McConaughey), and thus the familiar cycle of the romantic comedy is set in motion. This "cute meet" is followed by a cute date, her first in four years (if you can believe that of a Lopez character!). Then, of course, come the complications: He is about to be married and she is the one who has been hired to plan it; and her own marriage is being arranged by her determined dad.

In the best romantic comedies, the filmmakers set up interesting and believable barriers for the characters to overcome on their way to the Big Kiss. In this film, the question is: Why they don't just get together right away? The answer: contrived plotting won't let them. One doubts, for example, that a character as smart as Mary would even consider consenting to her father's meddlesome matchmaking.

But rather than tell a compelling story, the filmmakers seem satisfied to simply provide an attractive vehicle for the two stars, and to furnish a few good laughs along the way. The attraction of the leads is unquestionable, and that alone has filled theaters with admiring fans. Supporting characters, though not fully developed, provide a full measure of amusement: Joanna Gleason and Charles Kimbrough, rescued from canceled TV shows, are hilarious as the newly rich, tipsy parents of McConaughey 's would-be bride (Wilson-Sampras). The direction of the film is snappy, with accomplished camera work, brisk editing and lively choreography during the forties-style dance scenes. The look of the film is also greatly enhanced by its San Francisco setting.

So, if you want to see two of today's good looking stars looking good, see this film. If you want to see an excellent romantic comedy, rent "It Happened One Night."

Rating: 2 stars out of 4

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I thought the acting was well done the entire movie except for Massimo which I thought was a little racy but other than that good, I like the ending a lot, other than it being a little Hollywood, not much to say it's a good uplifting movie

Jennifer Lopez has gotten herself into quite a quandry of sorts here. Only as of recently has her musical career exploded internationally, her focus on acting seems to be diverted elsewhere as her last few movies have been quite awful (ie. "ANGEL EYES", "U-TURN"). Before her musical career took off, her movie roles were quite commendable (ie. "OUT OF SIGHT", "SELENA"). For Jennifer, it is unfortunate that I feel she should have to choose between one career or the other because I don't think she can handle both. She is a great singer and she can be a great actress but it is apparent that she can't manage both at the same time. This mess of a movie is supposed to showcase her 'comedic' talents yet displays the worst side of her one-dimensional acting abilities.

The trailers for this movie depicted "THE WEDDING PLANNER" to be a few hours of enjoyable romantic light fluff that anyone could enjoy on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, I turned this movie off half way through after my nerves finally gave in.

Yes, Jennifer Lopez portrays a successful wedding planner who is successful in her career but apparently unlucky in love. That is of course until she has a 'run-in' with her knight in shining armor (dryly portrayed by Matthew McConaughey in a 'phone-in' role). The only problem here is that Matthew is getting married to one of her new clients and she may very well be doomed to a loveless life married to some loser from high school who used to pick on her. It's a no-brainer in figuring out how this movie will end.

Yes, movies like "SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE", "WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING" and "FRENCH KISS" were enjoyable romantic comedies. We all knew how they were going to end yet we enjoyed the two hour journey that we had to take in order to see the grand finale. Unfortunately for "THE WEDDING PLANNER", the two hours are a rocky mess that tries to pair two unlikely characters with no chemistry whatsoever backed by a sound-track filled with Jennifer's own songs. The only thing I really enjoyed watching was the San Francisco scenery (how can one not love that city?)

Usually when the grand finale in these romantic films happen, you generally leave the theater feeling warm and fuzzy inside or at least basically satisfied for the plot outcome of the characters. When "THE WEDDING PLANNER" finished, I could only think "Good, I'm glad this garbage is over."

For a generic romantic comedy, "THE WEDDING PLANNER" fails to deliver. It could have worked had the characters shared at least a little bit of chemistry, but I didn't even pick up that vibe from what I saw. The credits close with Jennifer's hit song, "My Love Don't Cost A Thing" and that generally tops off the point I raised at the beginning of my review - Jennifer needs to choose between singing or acting because her film career is beginning to suffer as a result.

My Rating - 2 out of 10

Entertaining comedy where Jennifer Lopez plans the weddings of others while she can't get a solid foothold on her own life.

In a near serious accident, she meets Matthew McConnaughey, a doctor, who it turns out is the fiancée of the woman who has just hired her to make her wedding.

The film is devoted to them falling in love as well as relationships with others.

We are nearly fooled by how this film will end but in the end-justice prevails.

Matthew and Jennifer have an awesome screen chemistry between them. They are joined by Alex Rocco, who comically portrays Lopez's widowed father. He wants the best for her and is encouraging her to marry a fellow she met as a youngster during a summer visit to Italy.

A whimsical tale at best. It's worthwhile catching.

No chemistry, no laughs, no reason to care!

Do you think people set out to make a lousy film? Or do they realize they're making one while in production??

An utter waste of time.

I was pleasantly surprised with "The Wedding Planner", which I rented recently. I was reminded of the classic and oh, so fashionable romantic comedies which starred Ginger Rogers, Doris Day, Audrey Hepburn, etc. Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Lopez had great chemistry. They did a wonderful job of portraying love at first sight and not knowing what to do about it. Sure, there were some predictable moments, but isn't that always the case in these types of movies? I may be a little biased, since the romantic comedy is my favorite movie genre. I just can't get enough of those wisecracks used to hide true feelings, those charming dance sequences, those lingering stares under the stars... *sigh*. Well, if you agree with me, then you'll love this simply charming movie.

Jennifer Lopez is right at home playing the strong, intelligent professional, Mary, and despite her inability to properly tell a joke ("What, you think Kissinger wrote his own stuff?) or properly communicate strong emotion (like despair), she does well in the cutesy moments. Matthew McConaughey is charming as the conflicted Steve, and expertly plays both his character's dry, cynical side and his boyish joyfulness. The two play against one another well, unlike the boring Fran, whose idea of the perfect wedding song is Olivia Newton-John's "I Honestly Love You," and who can't seem to find one legitimate reason why she wants to marry Steve in the first place.

As there are no other true funny characters, Massimo is perhaps intended to provide the film's comic relief, but his "humor" flows less from witty screen writing and masterful delivery and more from the director's mistaken assumption that every line a character delivers in broken English must be funny. Overall, "The Wedding Planner" does a good job of fulfilling audience expectations and creating characters that, while likable, are simply rom-com archetypes. The true romantic, unsatisfied with paltry declarations of love and empty representations of it, hopes for a bit more.

Read my full review here: thecorrelationfilmblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/my-best-friends- weddingthe-wedding-planner/

June 1, 2015. I was looking up Movie info on the Actor Justin Chambers that played Massimo in "The Wedding Planner" on IDMb.com and ran across TylerDurden's "What Is Everyone Complaining About?" comments 21 July 2005. SEE BELOW: -----------------------------------

"I've owned this movie for a while, and only needed to see it once before deciding to run to the store to buy it. As a matter of fact, I'm watching it right now, but I got on here and looked it up because I wanted to see what other movies the writer had written (unfortunately---it's the only one.) After looking at the ratings and comments I had to voice my own opinion.

"The Wedding Planner" has everything you could ask from a romantic comedy. Predictability is always a factor, but come on! Do we really watch these types of movies expecting to be surprised at the ending? This film is quirky; all the actors and actresses don't miss a beat and they keep it real. No matter how many times I watch it, I still find something to laugh or smile at.

I haven't yet met a MAN that likes this movie, but if you're a girl that wants something sweet, funny, entertaining, and the "romantic dream"..... in other words: a flick you watch with a pint of ice cream ( =P ) then this is the one for you.

The directing is great, the dialog is entertaining, the acting is enjoyable, the movie over-all is fantastic. It's just sweet...even my mom likes it! O_O

Honestly, stop judging the movie like you're some kind of almighty critic, and watch it for what it is. If you don't like the genre, then pick something else to watch ^_^ Me? I'll stick with "The Wedding Planner"." -------------------------------------------------------

Tyler was right on, and I and my Husband LOVE this Movie. Yes, a MAN can like this movie and my Husband LOVES it. This movie is SO Under Rated and as a Romantic Comedy it has all the Story Line (quirkiness) that makes a Classic Movie you can watch over and over again. That's why we give it a 10/10 Star.

So-o-o, all you critics out there, put the movie in and sit back with some buttered Popcorn and a drink, and watch a FUN movie without criticizing and ENJOY. Thank You Tyler Durden for voicing you opinion. SJMillers :-)

I really do love romantic comedies, but this one was so stupid, so simple, so naive, that it made me feel sick. The chemistry between the main couple - or any of the couples - was so superficial! An other same kind of movie, My Best Friend's Wedding (Julia Roberts film), is not my favourite either, but it has at least some sense and moral. Comparing to this -- piece of junk.