Director: Sheree Folkson
Writer: Sally Phillips
Neil Jaworski
Starring: David Tennant
Kelly MacDonald
Alice Eve
Michael Urie
Sally Phillips
Dylan Moran
James Fleet
Maureen Beattie
Federico Castelluccio
Rating: ***
Release Date: 09/03/12
The Decoy Bride is something many David Tennant/Doctor Who fans have been waiting for, for a while. It's release schedule is bizarre, with the DVD being released just days after the cinema release; something which is basically unheard of in this industry (we all remember the Alice in Wonderland fiasco). Despite that, it is out in a few weeks, but the question is; is it worth a watch?
This is very different for Mr David Tennant, and he almost comes across as a new and improved Hugh Grant (in the golden era), but with more charm and likability. Tennant oozes this pitch perfect performance from his every pore, and despite it not being the best film out there, he just does a superb job with the material.
Anyway, we start the movie with a cheeky hoax as movie star Lara (Eve) tries to distract
the paparazzi, purely because she is desperately trying to keep her wedding to author James Arber (Tennant) private and personal.
James Arber is a fairly quiet and unassuming chap, who’s
engaged to marry Lara, the American superstar. It kind of reminds of Notting Hill, even Dylan Moran's character reminds me of Rhys Ifans. David expertly dons his English
accent, which I found really quite odd as the film is set in Scotland, but hey ho.
As I just mentioned, the film is set on a small, remote Scottish island called Hegg (though the film was shot on the Isle of Man #Trivia). It’s portrayed as
the most remote place in the UK – which makes it the perfect place to
stage a celebrity wedding. Until the sneaky media finds out their grand plan, and attempts to foil it.
On this little island we meet romantically inept islander Katie (MacDonald), who is returning home
with her tail between her legs. It’s actually really nice to see Kelly McDonald
in a non-serious role and taking a turn at comedy, even if the laughs aren't coming that often. She plays the character really well, really showing her awkwardness at the fact she is a simple islander who gets swept up in the celebrity
wedding as the decoy bride to throw off the paparazzi.
The movie is charming in the way that only an independent movie about
some far off place in Britain can be. The American characters are
probably the worst part of the movie and it really could have done
without them. They’re so unnecessary that their plot line is not even
resolved at the end of the movie.
There’s a lot in the movie that
doesn’t make much sense but that doesn’t make it not charming; I
guess just don’t think about the plot too deeply. I mean, it has kind of a
strange ending but it works. David Tennant could certainly continue
playing romantic roles if he wishes, he gets the comedy timing right (when the film is actually funny) and he’s of
course charming as always. Overall it’s a fun little movie that's more charming and sweet than laugh out loud funny, but I'd definitely recommend it.
The Decoy Bride - Trailer
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