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# Don’t bother making a date for ‘The Wedding Date’
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/dont-bother-making-a-date-for-the-wedding-date/
- Published: 2005-02-04T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T06:04:00.000Z
- Author: Dan Dunn
- Tags: local, Santa Monica, #archive-import

Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney star in this tepid role-reversed takeoff of “Pretty Woman,” with Messing filling the role of the “John” who finds love with a comely streetwalker. Strapped for a date for her sister’s London wedding, Messing’s Kat Ellis forks over $6,000 for the services of New York’s most celebrated and sanitized male escort, Nick Mercer (Mulroney). Before you can get through the buttery portion of the popcorn, the pair jet off to jolly Old England, instantly convince everyone they’re lovebirds, then — having said nary a word to each other — go for a roll in the hay. Nick’s apparently not the sort of prostitute who does that sort of thing (at least not on the first “date”), so gosh-darnit, he must be smitten. After a brief squabble about some ridiculous matter or other, the two go ballroom dancing and Kat hangs her heart out on her sleeve as well. But wait, where’s our syrupy “falling in love” montage? Bullocks!

Conflict arises later when Kat learns of a past indiscretion involving her obnoxious sister, but Nick is able to quickly diffuse the tension by flexing his pecs, rendering the ladies totally ga-ga. Plus, there’s effective comic relief courtesy of chirpy Brit TV star Sarah Parish, on board as Kat’s joke-cracking cousin T.J.

In an effort to sell this implausible scenario, director Clare Kilner (“How to Deal”) glosses over burning questions such as why someone as good-looking and hip as Kat would need to pay six grand for a date. How does a gal who holds some sort of mid-level management position at an airline afford such an extravagance? And while we’re at it, why do fools fall in love? Maybe for the same reason they make half-baked chick flicks … ‘cuz some people never learn. (Rated PG-13 for sexual content including dialogue. Running time: 90 minutes)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 4, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/020405.pdf?ref=smdp.com)