The Groomsmen (2006)

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

I thought this was a good comedy/drama film. It was pretty funny and the writing and direction and everything wasn't bad. It's like, nothing in the movie was bad but nothing was great either. Definitely an above average film though. Edward Burns is really good!

Recently saw this movie out of killing time and I really bargained more then that......This movie reminds us that nothing is perfect in this world and relationships should be nurtured as they form the basis of your existence.... It also gives this strong message that it is never too late to realize your mistakes in relationships and there is always time to mend things gone wrong, because at the core of it, we all are big kids doing silly mistakes all the time... I think I would really look at things around me in a different manner and try to respect the opposite perspective in a more rationalized way...Do watch this as more then just a movie.....

I'm sure Edward Burns gets plenty of complaints about his films, and I'm probably part of the minority that has enjoyed every single film he's done so far (at least out of the films he's written and directed). I can sort of understand why. Film is meant to be a visual medium, and as much as I enjoy his work, Burns is not exactly a director whose prime concern is the visuals. But I don't care! I'm one of the few film buffs who has never checked out any of the "Lord of the Rings" flicks. Why is that? Because I don't give a damn about special effects or CGI or elaborate sets or elaborate costumes. I care about interesting characters and interesting dialogue, and Burns always delivers in those two departments. I can relate to many of the characters in his films. I can't relate to Hobbits or whatever creatures you see in those "LOTR" flicks. Having watched the film's previews, I thought this might be Burns' attempt at making a more mainstream feature. But it wasn't. It was a typical Burns flick with typical Burns characters, who all have troubled love lives and swig Heineken like no tomorrow. "The Groomsmen" has a few flaws. Some of the NY accents sounded fake and came and went. Jay Mohr is from Jersey, so he really didn't have to try so hard to fake a NY accent when his real accent sounds close enough anyway. Also, hearing John Leguizamo sing was an example of "Don't quit your day job." He sounds almost as bad as I do when I sing karaoke, and I'm pretty sure even a garage band would have a better singer than him. His voice crackles whenever he hits the high notes. Being a baritone, I know what that's like. That's why I don't sing in a band. Plus, the "faking" of the guitar playing wasn't always convincing, even to someone who's never played guitar. And finally, the payoff to the subplot involving Leguizamo's character could've been a lot stronger. I'm not going to give away the twist involving his character, even though someone else on IMDb probably will. Other than those minor flaws, I really enjoyed the film. The cast is solid, though I'm sure Brittany Murphy was put in the movie simply to add star power. I don't hate Brittany as an actress, but a better, lesser-known actress could've played the role instead. The music is great as well. Thanks to Burns, I have two of the film's songs stuck in my head...but that's a good thing. He chose to use good songs from the 70's and 80's that weren't necessarily hits. If you're not a fan of Burns' work, this film probably won't change your mind. If you are a fan like me...enjoy the show.

Where do you start with this mess? The best stuff - TC. The scene between Matt Lillard and Ed Burns in which he tells him how his life has changed since having kids. As a father, this is the truth. Jessica Capshaw is such a beauty. I actually felt bad for Jay Mohr that he never got to reconcile with her, but how could you blame her. Mohr's character is horrible, and what a waste of a comedic talent, too. (In the DVD, there is a section called "Jay Mohr's takes", which you would expect to be funny, but is anything but. The worst stuff - Unfortunately the rest. The soundtrack is like a bad sampling of 80's music - Loverboy, Billy Squier, Greg Kihn. And who said Leguzamo (sp) can sing? How could the other band members put up with is irritable vocals, or were they dubbed? I know that Ed Burns likes to use local talent and that's fine, but get some who can act.