JCM Cinema
Capital

MOVIE BIASES : The trailers have been underwhelming. As much as I love (looking at) Lopez, @@ City.
MAJOR PLAYERS : Jennifer Lopez (The Cell) and Matthew McConaughey (U-571).

I fought this one, y'all. Despite Jenny Lo-Lo's obvious Crush-worthy charms, I really wanted not to like this one. But a surprising thing happened en route to @@ City - it ended up charming the cynicism off of me.

Mary Fiore (Lopez) is an especially anal, highly successful, very lonely wedding planner ("Those who can't wed, plan"). If she can land San Francisco's wedding of the year, the Donolly Wedding, then she will earn a partnership in the company. When Mary is saved by dashing young doctor Steve Edison (McConaughey) from a freak accident, she entertains the notion of opening up her insular little world - that is until she finds out that Steve is MARRYING Francine Donolly (Bridgette Wilson).

Despite a hilarious Italian immigrant (Justin Chambers) obsessed with marrying her, the only relationship that matters in this movie is Mary and Steve's. Luckily, Lopez and McConaughey have enough chemistry to pull it off. After flaming out on his own "A Time to Kill" hype as the next big thing, Matthew McConaughey has staged a quiet little comeback of quality work, adding "Planner" to "U-571"'s theatrical success. And this movie should play well into Valentine's Day week, thanks to his charming, back-and-forth chemistry with Lopez.

Ah, Jennifer. J.Lo. We loved you in "Out of Sight," didn't understand why you did "The Cell," but now we're ready to love you all over again. Often playing an extension of herself (i.e. calm and guarded), Jenny Lo-Lo goes outside herself to play the well-organized yet insecure and jittery Mary. I mean, Lopez is absolutely adorable in this film, from her curious, inviting eyes to her inquisitive little head tilts. Not since "Selena" have we seen J-Lo so vulnerable.

She gets a lot of help. The wardrobe on this flick, particularly for the two leads, is impressive in its simplicity; they look like walking ads for J. Crew and The Gap. With all the various weddings featured in the movie, major props to the art department, too. I know they had to work overtime to make everything as beautiful as it was. Lopez's hair and nails were impeccable, almost distracting at times was her flawless French manicure. Although part of my resistance lay in the over-emotionally manipulative musical score, it was refreshing to hear a soundtrack so romantic, so old school, it was like listening to a modern reinterpretation of Tchaikovsky's "Peter and the Wolf."

And that, sadly enough, is where this film got me - in it's romance. At times it tries too hard, but, more often than not, "Planner" gets it right, layering on the sentimentality and sap where the comedy fails. And the comedy does fail - the script is unimpressive and not terribly funny. It doesn't always get it right, but as a date movie, as much as I fought it, "The Wedding Planner" just WORKS. In a world where we are highly desensitized, where we are jaded and cynical to the point of emotional neutrality, I welcome a movie like "The Wedding Planner, a movie that optimistically sweetens through its sap. I could use a little more sap in my life. I think we all could.


@@@ REELS
(THREE REELS)
It's pretty hot - go give it a shot.