"Taking on the Anglo-American romance aspect, attempting to appeal to both crowds, yet failing to do so for either..."
Oh, British romantic comedies. For a nation that boasts the greatest writer of said genre in William Shakespeare, our translation of such a theme to the screen has always been questionable (particularly in recent years), with a few notable exceptions: Four Weddings and a Funeral and Gregory's Girl springing to mind. We generally specialise in wit and grit, leaving romance to the Americans or the French, which, when based on The Decoy Bride, is probably for the best.
Katie (Kelly Macdonald) is unlucky in love, downtrodden following a recent break-up, seeking refuge in her home town, as she moves back in with her terminally ill mother Iseabail (Maureen Beattie) on the remote Scottish island of Hegg. However, her need for tranquillity is at threat as Hollywood star Lara Tyler (Alice Eve) plans on marrying author James Arber (David Tennant) in the local castle to avoid the paparazzi, following a previously unsuccessful attempt.
Yet the press are informed of the event by Iseabail for petty cash, and soon Hegg becomes a media hotspot, frustrating Lara so much that she decides to flee. To avoid scrutiny and humiliation, her wedding planners and assistants decide to call in a decoy bride and continue to perform the wedding as planned, choosing Katie as the perfect fit. However, what is supposed to be a quick stunt turns into a lengthy event, as Lara's disappearance means that Katie and James must remain falsely married until her return, developing feelings for one another in the meantime.
Sheree Folkson's production is extremely easy to watch and undemanding of its audience, although that doesn't mean it's any good. It would certainly work better on the television rather than in the cinema, although even on the telly the temptation to change the channel could prove to be too much.
It's just a bit pointless and a surplus addition to this year's releases, bringing nothing new or original to the table, in that respect providing definite comparisons to Swinging with the Finkels, released last Summer. Yet in fairness this is of a slightly higher standard, despite being of a similar ilk, taking on the Anglo-American romance aspect, attempting to appeal to both crowds, yet failing to do so for either. The feature becomes monotonous and inane and is extremely predictable.
The performances from the respected cast are certainly a redeeming feature, as both Tennant and Macdonald show off their experience, whilst also seeming like a quite natural fit for one another, although for a comedy set in Scotland it seems somewhat peculiar that Tennant is playing an Englishman. There are also cameos for Dylan Moran and James Fleet as well as Sally Phillips, who also wrote the original story and screenplay.
It's all just a bit unoriginal and despite the occasional endearing moment, it's predictable and mostly unfunny, as I struggle to remember a single moment where I actually laughed out loud. Or inside my head, for that matter. The only slightly unique point is the film's Scottish setting, as the words 'Scotland' and 'romance' tend not to be used in the same sentence, although even that joke wears a little thin.
It's successful TV director Folkson's debut feature film, yet after this offering, perhaps moving back into directing televisions series isn't the worst idea, as The Decoy Bride rounds up what is a quite a disappointing week for British film - as released on the same day we have Cleanskin, Hard Boiled Sweets and Payback Season all hitting our screens, a day which is therefore probably best forgotten for the sake of British cinema.
