User reviews

I did not have high hopes for this movie, but was pleasantly surprised when I discovered it wasn't half bad! I honestly only saw it because David Tennant was in it... oh well. It was a cute romantic comedy and I did laugh quite a bit. But the biggest problem for me was that the plot summary is a little too cliché... and it went a little too fast. The whole movie took place in the time span of about a day. Not enough time for the main characters to really make the decision to throw away their whole life plans to be together. Whatever though, it was still a fun way to spend time! I would recommend this movie to any fan of romantic comedy.

However, something was missing.

And I just love romantic comedies!

I might be wrong, but I think what was lacking was genuine emotion, and chemistry between the couples who were supposed to end up together - it is clear from the start who will end up with whom, but I just couldn't really feel it between them. It felt a bit fake and forced upon them.

Overall, it is a cute little film, relaxing and in the end, it makes you feel good.

I definitely encourage you to give it a chance, it is a good pastime for a lazy evening. :)

I thought this would be crap since the plot summery sounded like so many clichéd comedies that have been done to death. I was surprised to discover however a superbly acted and well written comedy that has nice location photography and moves at a brisk pace. What more can one ask for in these cinematically barren times? And last but not least the performance by Kelly Macdonald is as excellent as one has grown to expect from watching her in Boardwalk Empire. I hope she continues to make films since I believe she is one of the best comic actresses around. She would be really good opposite Hugh Grant for instance. However, I doubt that will ever happen. Anyhow, I recommend this film without reservation.

13 July 2012. Perhaps the closest movie that The Decoy Bride might be compared to Notting Hill (1999) and America's Sweethearts (2001) and yet for all their famous girl meets ordinary guy or plain girl meets famous guy, or Sabrina (1954) and yet for all the famous star polish, this movie has a twist as well as geographical character that has a charm all its own and as such is almost believable in both its underlying simplicity and authenticity. The director should be credited with never having the Paparazzo nemesis become some bumbling idiot and in some ways the scriptwriter's divergence from the traditional storyline is another one of the niceties of the movie's charm. So while Simple Irresistible (1999) had its food magic, Dave (1993) had the Oval Office, My Super Ex-Girlfriend had (2006) had superheroes, Working Girl (1988) had a prostitute, or even Bewitched (2005) had strictly speaking magic magic, The Decoy Bride has the landscape, the isolated uniqueness of the quaint Calendar Girls (2003).

Lara (Alice Eve) a beautiful young actress is set to wed a budding writer, James (David Tennant). The trouble is, the press follows her everywhere, especially paparazzi maniac, Marco (Federico Castelluccio). Each time she and her intended have planned a private ceremony, Marco shows up, even in disguise. So, at the last moment, plans are squashed. However, Lara's next plan seems promising. They will be wed on a far-away island in the Outer Hebrides, where James bestselling book was written. Naturally, their staff will arrange the details needed. This takes some work! Not only for the cloak-and-dagger legwork but because the island's castle is far from photogenic. Also to the island comes native, Katie (Kelly McDonald). She, likewise an author, has come home with her hopes dashed, both career-related and marital. Her mother still runs the island's only B and B so its Katie's choice of refuge. By chance, Kate meets James in an unlikely place and tension springs forth. But, when Lara believes her secret wedding has been once again breached, the staff decides Kate would make a good "decoy", hidden under a veil, with photographers thinking they have crashed the event. Then, the real couple can be wed shortly thereafter. But, will such an idea really work, especially when James and Kate's initial feelings for one another may be altering? Don't be fooled by the title, romcom fans, this is the genuine thing, a nice, funny, and sweet l'il comedy with romance. The main cast is talented and attractive, with old pros like James Fleet also popping in and out. As for the setting, what a treat to see such a remote place of the earth, complete with beauty and ruggedness. Costumes, a swell script and a well-timed direction make this flick quite a pleasure. Genre fans, you know who you are, so act accordingly and find it.

This movie can be a disappoinment for those who wish to watch an American type rom-com. But it could be heart-warming for those who want to have a simple evening with a loved one. The acting was spectacular and I'm deeply impressed by the writing. Congrats to all of you, you gave me what I needed. I feel content now.

More than 'a bit' of a slow start.. but once it picks up, the story is, at least, slightly captivating. The acting is pretty good. I wouldn't exactly put this on my 'need to see' list. This film is more of a 'when you're stuck in bed'. But it is funny, and will most likely leave you with a small smile at the end. I give it a 6/10 as it made me laugh, but there isn't a huge array of emotions portrayed in this quirky little probably-would-do-better-as-a-play. I was quite looking forward to seeing David Tennant in something with his own accent, but alas! he is English once again. Alice Eve played her role beautifully, and is completely understated in this movie (even being described as perfect) Worth a watch at least once I think.

My girlfriends and I saw this movie over the weekend, & I went into it fully expecting a pretty awful romantic comedy. I was happily mistaken. "The Decoy Bride" is exactly what a good romantic comedy should be--light, fresh, funny, and endearing. The plot itself wasn't anything you weren't going to be able to guess within the first five minutes, but it also didn't take itself too seriously. David Tennant and Kelly MacDonald were lovely, and the supporting cast was well-drawn and relatable. The script itself was very well-written; it was funny in the same way your best friend is funny, and it never became mean-spirited.

It's hard to find a re-watchable romantic comedy these days, and I'm glad I finally did. It definitely puts a smile on your face.

I wanted to like this film. I like romantic comedies and I hoped this might be a "missed gem". There's some decent people in it and Kelly MacDonald steals the show for me. David Tennant looks like he's just doing this before flying off to a better offer. It feels like too much has been packed in to the film when the real interest is the relationship between the two main characters. It felt to me like a lot of compromises must have been made to get it filmed. Either that, or the script was written in crayon. It felt like actors with a few half ideas have developed this and someone's said yes. Given that, it has moments (mostly provided by the aforementioned MacDonald who is very watch-able).

Yees, at first glance, the plot summary would appear worn and tired. It is not. You will be rewarded by digging deeper. What you find here is a sweet story, well told, and delicately woven into the tapestry of a farce which might be summed up as perfecting a "kinder, gentler Monty Python" genre. The acting draws you into the experience. It is superb. There is absolutely no "sleeze". Directing, cutting and assembly of elements are so far beyond excellent, it is difficult to review. A bonus for American audiences - the Scott and British accents and speech are lovely, soft and paced so as to be easily understood. The director has given us a wonderfully understated romantic farce/comedy that gradually opens our connection to the characters without forcing any conclusion. Decoy Bride is a "view-again" work of art.

I found this film by chance while browsing through other titles and expected nothing of it or the acting until I'd read the two first reviews here. A great, unusual playful story set on a small Scots island, I think in the Outer Hebrides, with a quiet happiness, lots of healthy humour and a collection of low-key actors as extras, who fit perfectly into the wonderful scenery of Scotland at its best. They come very close to the originals who actually do live on these islands and maybe some did in fact come from the local community.

The referral to the island having a "haunted public toilet" reminded me of a female Italian tourist asking one of the three only residents on the island of Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde, a lighthouse keeper, if there was a café nearby. She received the answer "just follow the track to the old quarry and it's next to Woolworths (department store). A low budget film, which with time should really become very successful. I was fascinated from start to finish.

This was cute, genuinely funny at times and while not original in its romantic-comedy delivery it managed not to be clichéd either. I also really enjoyed the remote (Scottish) island setting which almost becomes a character onto itself here.

David Tennant was very good as 'James', best selling author and half of a celebrity power couple trying to outwit a determined paparazzo from sabotaging their wedding. By relocating to the remote island of Hegg he hopes to evade the press, unfortunately they still find them, forcing his Hollywood film star bride to be (Alice Eve) into hiding and her agent to hire the only single island girl to pose as the bride. Of course complications arise and in a mix-up, James ends up married to 'Katie' who up until now has been unlucky in love.

There is nothing outstanding here but the plot is lively and there are some very funny situations especially amongst the diverse group of island locals who provide real laughs. I especially enjoyed Kelly Macdonald who plays Katie, she and David work well together, navigating the twists and turns, swordfights, moat plunges, 70's attire and unique divorce requirements on their way to true love. 6/7/15

A Scottish, independent romantic comedy is hard to come by. Usually when you find such a movie, it's really good. Unfortunately, "The Decoy Bride" isn't great. The premise of a Hollywood star running away from paparazzi and getting married on a remote Scottish island but with a stand-in bride for disguise has numerous routes to provide both romance and comedy.

It was romantic enough, but only kind of funny, and certainly not laugh-out-loud funny. The main problems, all very minor, add up to a film that is desperately lacking a dust of perfection that it would require to be able to stand on its own two feet.

The bride, Lara Tyler (Alice Eve), is desperate to find a wedding location for just herself and soul-mate. After reading a novel which describes, in beautiful romantic prose, a remote Scottish island with a castle standing proudly on a hillside, she sends her publicist, agent, and writer husband-to-be to stage her perfect wedding. The problems are this location was a writer's fantasy and the paparazzi are already on their way there.

The town exists, but it's filled with typical quirky towns-folk, and worse, the castle is barely standing. The problem for me was that we quickly discover the writer of this location novel is her fiancé. He has never denied ever having been to this town and yet nobody questioned that his descriptions might not be accurate. At this point we no longer have a particularly likable protagonist.

One would assume the towns-folk would welcome the bride and her entourage as all the inhabitants and their small businesses are in need of money, instead they take on a local air of snobbery and grunt and complain their way through the movie.

But these are all just minor characters, even the bride herself is a fairly minor character. Our main girl is the decoy bride – Katie (Kelly Macdonald). All the men in her town are married and she hasn't found her own path in life yet. She gladly accepts the Hollywood proposal to pretend to be a movie star getting married. Of course things don't go as planned, and we get an only mildly amusing comedy of errors.

However, it is during the comedy of errors where Katie and the husband-to-be James Arber (David Tennant) find themselves locked in a room and on the run together across the Scottish island. These scenes provide the romance and connection based on good acting and great casting. I'm not familiar with David Tennant but he was just so natural as the bumbling, awkward writer that the character was a good fit for this film. I am familiar with Kelly MacDonald. She is the actress who has quietly blown you away in "No Country for Old Men" and "Boardwalk Empire", but she is unrecognizable here and that's a good thing.

I would have preferred it much more if the supporting characters weren't so unpleasant, and if they had made some choices that weren't quite so predictable. The beginning of the film is structured poorly and has some awkward sequences, but then they stumble right along into a cute romantic comedy. Since great ones are hard to come by, "The Decoy Bride" can fill that void for awhile.

Alice Eve has the kinda smile that could get her out of a speeding ticket. Too bad her smile is completely wasted in The Decoy Bride, a dull, trite comedy with a contrived setup that does nothing but exercise its right to be fluffy and forgettable escapism. I've come to that time in my short life of being a semi-professional film critic that I can almost identify when a film is exercising in its boundaries and when it's simply being lackadaisical and unambitious.

The Decoy Bride is frothy and dreary, wasting its perfectly nimble and bright cast, who I crave to watch in stronger material. The material concerns Lara Tyler (Alice Eve), a popular UK celebrity who simply wants to marry James Arber (David Tennant), her fiancée, without the paparazzi bothering her with their clicking cameras and gossip reporters. The two vacate to Hegg, a Scottish island, where they are quickly followed by the paparazzi, and a desperate team member of Lara's suggests they stage a wedding between James and some other girl to trick the paparazzi and give the couple some peace. Hegg native Katie (Kelly Macdonald) is hired to pretend to be Lara and winds up striking an, at first, contentious relationship with James, which later turns soft and forgiving, despite his insults and her comebacks.

As you can tell, we're in a very different setting, but we're experiencing pretty much the same clichés we can find back on the American market. The United Kingdom is known for their quirky sense of humor and unique brand of Television comedies, yet we see pretty much the same unforgivably bland trite we can watch on the Lifetime network or even ABC Family. The charming cast succumbs to some of the most wretched clichés on screen, and even David Tennant of people looks bored and uninterested in this failure of a project.

Surely if you're considering renting this film, whether it be off of Netflix or even from the local store, you could certainly find something more appealing and insightful from The Decoy Bride same genre. If you're looking for pleasant escapism, perhaps try the classic Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan endeavor You've Got Mail. Or if you want a fantastic genre-exercise, try Annie Hall, a delightful film by Woody Allen. There are dozens of better options and there is little time to view all of them. Why settle for The Decoy Bride? Starring: Kelly Macdonald, David Tennant, and Alice Eve. Directed by: Sheree Folkson.

This is a gentle romantic comedy that has humor and light but doesn't hit you over the head with it.

I suspect this movie is not rated higher generally because it does not have the laugh a minute ridiculousness of most modern day American rom-coms. It moves at the slow pace of the village were it takes place where time somewhat stands still and happiness is found in the familiar. The fact that it stars David Tennant is just icing on the cake; the supporting cast which includes Kelly MacDonald (Boardwalk Empire)and Alice Eve (Entourage)is just cherries on the icing on the cake.

A movie in the vein of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill (with some lovely scenery from the Isle of Man), I highly recommended spending an evening with it.

I've got to admit, I first of all watched the film just because of David Tennant, because I adore him. He's a brilliant actor.

But I thought the plot of the film sounded like a really ordinary romantic comedy, but I was proved wrong. It's a very humorous story and David's performance is great as ever. But also the other actors do a great job.

I love the setting on this little island, as a backward region, which tries to take every advantage of the people coming there.

It's definitely worthwhile watching the movie if you're searching for a bit of entertainment and like British settings and to be honest the accent's pretty cool, too.

I normally hate rom-coms, but every now and then one catches my attention, and this was one of them.

It has an original idea, good actors, and breathtaking locations. With a unique take on the genre, it is very funny, and memorable. The relationships are also believable, and sweet, without being sickeningly so.

I actually bought this on DVD, making it one of the three rom-coms I own: Decoy Bride, Leap Year and Love Actually.

Such a crime that the film was limited release in the UK, but well well worth a watch, even if you have to spend the £9 on the DVD for the pleasure!

The British excel at romantic comedies. There are loads to choose from, too, but this isn't one of them. This is clearly aimed at women only. There's nothing wrong with that, and it seems that the reviews are almost entirely written by women who enjoyed this.

But somehow, we are supposed to believe that the gaunt and boring Tennent has managed to nab a drop dead gorgeous blond, and he's going to give her up for the village idiot. Ridiculous.

The men have little to do and nothing to say. The man with the most lines is... you guessed it... gay! There's not much romance here but loads of women with lots to do and say. David Tennent is badly miscast as a leading man, although thankfully he doesn't have much to do.

Even the scenery is a lost opportunity. It's just gloomy, overcast and almost always raining.

The comedy is forced and drawn out, the drama is drab and sorely lacking in anything of interest for the viewer to cling on to. The ongoing joke about the press photographer is just annoying. The stilted and awkward dialogue is just embarrassing to sit through.

Worst of all is the bizarre playlist of awful songs. I gave it half an hour before my eyes started bleeding. Then again, I'm a bloke and this one is for the birds!