I love a rom-com as much as the next person. They're fun, easy to watch, and generally have a few laughs to brighten up the day. But then I watched Shotgun Wedding and I'm still wondering why…
Amazon Studios have recently dipped their toe into the romantic comedies pool, distributing films that have a Hallmark feel but are a bit more grown-up. Think Something From Tiffany's and The Hating Game.
And so they tried again with Shotgun Wedding, a movie boasting a really good cast that includes Jennifer Lopez, Josh Duhamel, Lenny Kravitz, and Jennifer Coolidge.
So what is it all about, and is it worth watching?
What Is Shotgun Wedding About?
Darcy and Tom are getting married. So they have gathered their friends and families for the ultimate destination wedding on an island in the Philipines.
Nothing is going particularly well, mainly as Tom (Josh Duhamel) is doing all the planning, and Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) is just going along with whatever he wants. That includes keeping his mother (Jennifer Coolidge) happy by wearing her outdated and cumbersome wedding dress!
Their families have their own problems, and then to add insult to injury, Darcy's ex-boyfriend Sean (Lenny Kravitz) shows up because Darcy's father invited him.
With the wedding party waiting on the beach and Darcy and Tom having a last-minute will-they-won't-they as they get cold feet, everybody is taken hostage.
The entire party is forced into the pool, minus of course, the bride and groom, who have yet to arrive.
The pirates want money and lots of it, but before they can get Robert, Darcy's father, to transfer over millions to them, Darcy and Tom kick into action to save the day and everybody on the island.
Shotgun Wedding Official Trailer
Is Shotgun Wedding Worth Watching?
Available on Amazon Prime Video, the film is billed as an adrenaline fueled adventure as Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel flex their action muscles and save the day.
And to be fair, there is plenty of action. It's stupid, but if watching two people try to foil pirates while tied together by a couple of plastic wrist ties that they seem incapable of getting out of is your thing, then you'll love it.
On the upside, some of the jokes are funny, and they mostly come from Jennifer Coolidge, who basically rescued this film with her comedy chops.
The scenes between Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel are decent, and the chemistry between them works. But for everybody else, the script feels forced and unnatural.
The setting is stunning, and honestly, Shotgun Wedding could have been a solid action romcom, but it quickly descends into stupidity on a scale I've rarely seen.
Lopez basically runs around the island in a tattered wedding dress. There is absolutely no ability to communicate with the outside world to get help. We have a ‘twist' that is totally ridiculous. And just when you think there couldn't be any more stupid decisions to be made, another one comes along to make you roll your eyes again.
All of this seems pretty PG and standard fare for a comedy caper but then come the dead bodies as, one by one, the pirates are picked off.
Shotgun Wedding just doesn't know what kind of movie it is. Director Jason Moore has thrown everything at it, including the kitchen sink, and all he ended up with is a daft, predictable mess.
Shotgun Wedding Movie Cast
Shotgun Wedding may not be the greatest romcom ever made, but it does have a good cast, with many of the wedding guests peppering the movie with funny quips.
So here they all are:
Jennifer Lopez as Darcy Rivera, the bride who is getting married to To
Josh Duhamel as Tom Fowler, the groom who is getting married to Darcy
Jennifer Coolidge (The Watcher) as Carol Fowler, Tom's mother
Sônia Braga as Renata Ortiz, Darcy's uptight mother who is divorced from her husband Robert
Cheech Marin as Robert Rivera, Darcy's father, and Renata's ex-husband
Callie Hernandez as Jamie Rivera, Darcy's sister
Desmin Borges as Ricky, Tom's bestman
D'Arcy Carden as Harriet, Robert's new girlfriend
Lenny Kravitz as Sean Hawkins, Darcy's ex-boyfriend
Steve Coulter as Larry Fowler, Tom's Dad
Melissa Hunter as Jeannie, a wedding guest
