The Groomsmen

The Groomsmen (Edward Burns, John Leguizamo, Jay Mohr, Matthew Lillard, Heather Burns, Brittany Murphy) — A small movie with some big names, this slice-of-life reunion of childhood friends for a wedding features star and director, Edward Burns, the once-promising hunk who hasn’t been heard from. He reminds you much of Ben Affleck (only with real acting talent) but it’s the acting troupe that makes this film work. This film reminded be of Mystic River without the murder mystery because the men are all wonderful and the women are more than just window dressing; they make the movie work. The best performance belongs to Jay Mohr, who plays the dullard of the group. Still living with his dad though in his mid-30s, he’s got the best lines and the most developed character. His estranged wife describes him as still as kid, mired in his old baseball cards, the old rock band, and his toys rather than his landscaping business and his family. And my favorite part was when his dad, trying to make him feel better after his attempt to reconcile with his wife fails, says: “You go inside and I’ll make us a meatloaf.” You end up caring about all of the friends almost as much as they do for each other and in a way seldom seen in movies these days.