Last updated 19:04, Tuesday, 13 May 2008

MADE OF HONOUR (12A, 101 mins) A gender-reversed revamp of the 1997 romantic comedy My Best Friend’s Wedding, about a commitment-shy 30-something who realises that he's in love with the only woman he hasn’t slept with.

Adorable: Patrick Dempsey as Tom (right) and Michelle Monaghan as bride Hannah

Comedy/Romance. Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin McKidd, Sydney Pollack, Kathleen Quinlan, Busy Philipps, Stephanie Cummings, Emily Nelson. Director: Paul Weiland.

MADE Of Honour is a gender-reversed revamp of the 1997 romantic comedy My Best Friend’s Wedding, about a bed-hopping, commitment-shy 30-something who realises, almost too late, that he is in love with the only woman he hasn’t slept with. See The List for film times.

Dempsey plies his natural charm to sidestep obvious shortcomings in the script – weak characterisation, a lack of dramatic tension – and win our sympathy. Luckily for him, his rival for the heroine’s affections is devoid of personality and thinks the ultimate romantic gesture is a rousing chorus of Love Is Like A Rose.

Obscenely wealthy playboy Tom (Dempsey) ricochets from one fling to the next without any thoughts of commitment. Best friend Hannah (Monaghan) despairs at his bed-hopping antics, especially since she has secretly loved him since they were at university.

Realising Tom will never reciprocate her feelings, Hannah leaves for a six-week business trip to Scotland, where she falls for and agrees to marry Colin McMurray (McKidd), whose family is regarded as local royalty.

During the trip, Tom realises that he cannot live without Hannah. To add to Tom’s woes, she asks him to be the maid of honour, working alongside bickering bridesmaids Melissa (Philipps), Whitney (Cummings) and Hilary (Nelson) to ensure her big day passes without a hitch.

Dempsey is adorable while Monaghan makes the most of her underwritten role, seeing the niggling flaws in her husband-to-be just before the biggest day of her life.

McKidd is woefully short-changed but at least does his countrymen proud in swathes of tartan with a rousing display in the Braemar Stone throw.

Fans of the leading man from Grey’s Anatomy will undoubtedly swoon “I do” to every contrivance.

Everyone else should take Made Of Honour with a generous pinch of confetti.

DAMON SMITH