Dog’s Movie House: “Shotgun Wedding” Middling Comedy With Game Jennifer Lopez And Jennifer Coolidge!

This movie is silly as hell, but is not without its pleasures. It’s main asset is in the effortlessly charismatic Jennifer Lopez, who runs with the exasperated Darcy like she’s trying to be the next Carol Burnett. She actually does exasperated pretty well, but Mark Hammer’s script doesn’t really do any favors. She also doesn’t have much in the way of romantic chemistry with Duhamel, who seems to be content to go with the handsome yet vacant bohunk method of acting. Yet I can’t help but think the two would really vibe together with a more involved script.

But that’s not what “Shotgun Wedding” is going for. Instead “Shotgun Wedding” wants to be a modern version of the madcap comedies of the thirties and forties. The trouble is the tone is a little off at times. The action is a bit too violent for the madcap tone director Jason Moore is going for. Some of the jokes hit, but most of the humor comes from the typically wonderful supporting performance of Jennifer Coolidge as Tom’s mother Carol. Coolidge is clearly having a ball as the oversharing, boistrous mother who tries to reason with the pirates by trying to “humanize” them. She also looks pretty damn good toting a machine gun. The other fine performers are pretty much wasted here which is a shame because the cast has such luminaries as Sonia Braga, Cheech Marin, and Lenny Kravitz literally doing absolutely nothing during this film. How does a film have Cheech Marin in it as the most boring character in the movie?

Still, “Shotgun Wedding” is a diverting enough time-waster that’s worth seeing for the two Jennifers to do their stuff. Coolidge is great and I have to wonder about the water Lopez is drinking. I mean, seriously, the woman is in her early fifties and looks like she can pass for a twenty-something dancer. I find myself simultaneously horrified and aroused! (I digress, heh). Anyway, “Shotgun Wedding” is worth the time to stream. It could have been better, but it could have been a lot worse. 3 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer! So Sayeth The Kendog!

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