BY SUSANNE ROBBINS

Kat Ellis (Deborah Messing) goes back home to London to attend her sisters wedding. As luck would have it her ex-fiance is the best man in the wedding. Kat decides she can not go back home alone to face the family. So she does what we would all do and hires a male escort Nick Mercer (Dermot Mulroney) to accompany and to pose as her boyfriend. I guess we are to assume on the plane flight that they get to know each other, because when asked how they met, we never really see those awkward, tongue tied, deer in headlights moments. You come to find out that Kat's ex-fiance Jeffrey (Jeremy Sheffield) is obviously not a favorite of the family, but you really are not told why nor is it clear who broke off the engagement until later. Enter Amy (Amy Adams) the lovely bride, here is another strange relationship with Kat that never really gets explained. The weekend unfolds with Kat and Nick getting closer, and Nick helping Kat realize she needs to let go of Jeffrey. When she finally finds out the true reason for her ex-fiance breaking off the engagement, she also finds that everyone but her seems to know. Feeling betrayed she turns her back on everyone including Nick. Of course she does, if she doesn't push him away how can she ever have the oh so familiar realization scene. You know the one where someone sits you down and makes you realize you are in love with the male prostitute you brought home to fool your family. The guy you really know nothing about, and have only spent three days with. The same guy you will come running back to at the end anyway.

Now let me just say that I do love a good romantic comedy. I did laugh out loud at more than a few scenes in this film. I did feel as though they had to condense a 2hr movie to 1 1/2 hrs. The only problem with doing this? You felt rushed and the film does not seem to flow, too many questions are asked with no answers. Not enough time is taken to develop the relationship between Kat and Nick. You needed more time to see the chemistry build between the characters. Instead it just all happens like clock work and it becomes unbelievable. Bypass the corny one liners that no one ever says except in a movie and you have a predictable movie, but hey what romantic comedy isn't. The underlying theme, it is easier to hide behind what we no longer have than to venture out and see what we may find.

If you don't mind wasting an afternoon on a little fun then go see the film. Check your cynical brain at the door, grab some popcorn and have some fun.