My First Wedding

So it ain't so. Why am I constantly disappointed every time I see a Rachel Leigh Cook movie? Her beauty always draws me in, but the lousy scripts that she's constantly attached to always leave me running for the exit. This film is just another example of a film maker taking a beautiful, talented actress and shoving her into a predictable cookie cutter film that lacks originality. I've seen this movie a hundred times before in the last 10 years and I guess I must be a glutton for punishment because as long as I read in the entertainment section of the paper that a goddess like Rachel Leigh Cook is going to be on the big screen I will show up. One of these days I'm hoping I will see her in a film that will be worthy of her talent. This film does not qualify.

They say nobody is perfect, but I'm starting to think Rachael Leigh Cook might be. She's had the bad luck of doing horrible things but she's also been blessed with parts in good movies; "My first wedding" stands in the middle. Directed by Laurent Firode and written by Joan Carr-Wiggin, this is your everyday romantic comedy but with an unusual theme in its story: a lust problem.

Vanessa (Leigh Cook) goes walking on the street and wants to have sex with every man she sees. This part is perfect for the young actress, whose looks are beyond sexy. Her gift for innocence also serves her very well here, as she confronts the 'holy' life of her character with the wild dreams she has every night.

So Vanessa is about to get married and she's trying to control her impulses because her fiancée Andre (Paul Hopkins) is very catholic and doesn't believe in sex before marriage. She enters a church to make a confession and Nick (Kenny Doughty), a carpenter working there, poses accidentally as a priest and listens to her problems. As he watches her walking away, he's stunned; so he offers more help with the troubles…Even when he's not a priest.

Longer into the film, when Nick says Vanessa is perfect it's impossible not to believe him. Rachael Leigh Cook is indeed perfect and she makes her character that way. However, the credit is not all Rachael's…The British Doughty is a gifted comedian and has the necessary charm for the role of Nick; a deceitful and winning ladies-man who has fallen in love.

Yes, we know how the story ends, but that's not a problem in almost every romantic comedy, because if you let yourself go (as I've said many times), things can work. One of this film's few problems is that it doesn't work even when you try to let go. The chemistry between the leads is believable, but maybe the situations they live take it too far.

This is not a problem when I watch any romantic comedy, but the little sense of reality and the distance the director seems to put from his characters are elements that don't end up helping the final result. Plus, some funny moments abuse of repetition and even when Doughty is funny, he can't do the same thing several times and still get a laugh.

"My first wedding" is a film you should see if you are a Rachael Leigh Cook fan. As I read somewhere, "she sizzles"; if you want to catch a romantic comedy where you can get carried away by what doesn't make sense and lies far from reality, get "13 going on 30" or "Love Actually".

Hi. Saw this on an afternoon on HBO with no expectations. I found myself laughing very hard at many parts. The charade part was especially hilarious ! Also, Nick's character and the acting from Kenny Doughty was great. Rachel Leigh looks great like always. Kenny is a great find and a nice English accent. So an OK movie by all means. See it if you have the chance on TV. I don't know why the previous posters were so mean with the film. Maybe they just expect every film to be Oscar level or a $100 million romantic comedy. It's just a Canadian/UK co-production and it succeeds at least in being funny. Watch it and you won't regret!

It is deep night as i write this but the movie kept me up. The lead role guy is hilarious. And Leigh Cook, oh my god, she's so beautiful.

The plot is not something too original (as you could say from the first comments page) but there are many little scenes that have their own charm.

I'm no big specialist in actor play but I was really inspired by the play of the lead role guy. It really touched me to heart as he was making everything possible (lots of crazy things anybody would normally do) to be with the girl. Isn't it about life -- if you REALLY want something you will do crazy things to get it.

Watch it with your girl/boyfriend if you want a nice romantic movie -- I'm pretty sure you'll like it.

This movie has some very funny scenes.

The lead actor is a natural comedian. He reminded me a little of a young Jim Carrey (not quite as over the top though.) I would expect that he might have a bright future ahead in the movie industry if more lead roles come his way.

The story is simple and enjoyable. It also has great comedic timing throughout the film. It won't win any Oscars but I have seen far worse scripts than this one.

I'm not sure why some previous reviewers were so harsh on it. It is a very upbeat, light and watchable movie.