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Monday, May 26,2008
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Made For Each Other
From friendship to love?
Can
close but Platonic friendship between man and woman grow into love and
marriage? The romantic comedy Made of
Honor explores the theme with humor and insight. One imagines the principal
screenwriter, Adam Sztykiel, may have been close to the situation experienced
by his protagonists, Tom (Patrick Dempsey) and Hannah (Michelle Monaghan).
Made of Honor is effervescent as champagne but
packs an eight-proof kick below the bubbles. The sharp edges of the script are
felt in the opening scene, set at Cornell in 1998 during a student masquerade
dance. The house is full of Monica Lewinskys in black berets and even an
occasional Hillary. Moving gingerly among the revelers is Tom, concealed under
a Bill Clinton mask. He’s a cigar sniffing Lothario hunting for female prey.
Slipping into a dark room, the wrong dorm room it turns out, he mistakes Hannah
for his intended Monica. Not having mace handy, she fends off her unwanted
suitor by spraying him with Eternity by Calvin Klein.
It’s
not the usual beginning for a beautiful friendship, and Made of Honor never bothers showing how Hannah and Tom overcame the
sour taste of their first encounter. Instead, it cuts to the next scene 10
years later. By then, Tom is a wealthy
The
plot takes its inevitable turn when, scouting for art in
The
wedding is set for a fortnight after her return to
The
feminine role Tom must assume as maid of honor, including organizing the bridal
shower, is reminiscent of the gender bending endured by Cary Grant in several
vintage comedies. Dempsey is no Grant, Hugh or Cary, but handles himself with
sufficient aplomb. Monaghan is adorable as the woman who, tired of waiting for
the man of her life to shed his Peter Pan wings, plunges abruptly into the
uncharted arms of a stranger. What discoveries will Hannah make? Could she have
imagined that Colin practices his bagpipes for two hours every night?
Also in Film:
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(AP)
AP - President Barack Obama says he wants Congress to pass legislation giving the government greater regulatory authority over financial institutions like American International Group.
Sources: Pentagon to stop forced tour extension
(AP)
AP - The Army will substantially reduce use of the unpopular practice of holding troops beyond their enlistment dates and will pay $500 to those still forced to stay in the service, defense and congressional officials said Wednesday.
AIG head shares US anger of bonuses but backs them
(AP)
AP - The chief executive officer of failed insurance conglomerate AIG acknowledged Wednesday that the company's multimillion-dollar bonuses were "distasteful" to many and had provoked a firestorm of wrath. "I share that anger," Edward Liddy, chairman and CEO of the American International Group Inc., said in testimony prepared for Congress.
Analysis: White House, Dems backpedaling on AIG
(AP)
AP - For the first time since last fall's election, Democrats and the Obama administration are backpedaling furiously on an issue easily understood by financially strapped taxpayers: $165 million in bonuses paid out at bailed-out AIG.
Pence: Return AIG donations
(Politico)
Politico - House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence is urging politicians from both parties to strongly consider returning campaign contributions from AIG.
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Top Stories
AIG head shares US anger of bonuses but backs them
(AP)
AP - The chief executive officer of failed insurance conglomerate AIG acknowledged Wednesday that the company's multimillion-dollar bonuses were "distasteful" to many and had provoked a firestorm of wrath. "I share that anger," Edward Liddy, chairman and CEO of the American International Group Inc., said in testimony prepared for Congress.
Obama seeks greater rein on financial institutions
(AP)
AP - President Barack Obama says he wants Congress to pass legislation giving the government greater regulatory authority over financial institutions like American International Group.
Consumer prices rise by largest amount in 7 months
(AP)
AP - Consumer prices rose in February by the largest amount in seven months as gasoline prices surged again and clothing costs jumped the most in nearly two decades.
Crude
