License to Wed (2007)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Ken Kwapis

Writers (WGA):

Kim Barker (screenplay) and
Tim Rasmussen (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 July 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

First came love... then came Reverend Frank.

Plot:

A reverend puts an engaged couple through a grueling marriage preparation course to see if they are meant to be married in his church.

Plot Keywords:

Church | Marriage Proposal | Minister | Premarital Counseling | Priest

Awards:

1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 21	6:30 PM	HBO
Sun. July 26	9:45 AM	HBO
Wed. July 29	11:15 AM	HBO

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Reverend Frank
Mandy Moore	...	Sadie Jones
John Krasinski	...	Ben Murphy
Eric Christian Olsen	...	Carlisle
Christine Taylor	...	Lindsey Jones
Josh Flitter	...	Choir Boy
DeRay Davis	...	Joel
Peter Strauss	...	Mr. Jones
Grace Zabriskie	...	Grandma Jones
Roxanne Hart	...	Mrs. Jones
Mindy Kaling	...	Shelly
Angela Kinsey	...	Judith the Jewelry Clerk
Rachael Harris	...	Janine
Brian Baumgartner	...	Jim
Jess Rosenthal	...	Jewelry Clerk
Val Almendarez	...	Jewelry Store Customer
Nicole Randall Johnson	...	Louise
Tashana Haye	...	Church Kid Sarah
Sarah Kate Johnson	...	Church Kid Laurie
Travis T. Flory	...	Church Kid Manny (as Travis Flory)
Dominic Swingler	...	Joel & Shelly’s Kid
Devin Swingler	...	Joel & Shelly’s Kid
Diego Swingler	...	Joel & Shelly’s Kid
Cynthia Ettinger	...	Macy’s Clerk
Gillian Skupa	...	Macy’s Changing Room Lady
Poncho Hodges	...	Macy’s Security Guard
Ruben Garfias	...	Coach
Kelsey Harper	...	Carlisle’s Girlfriend
David Quinlan	...	Expectant Father
Irene Karas	...	Birthing Mom
Derek Green	...	Doctor
Christine Cannon	...	Delivery Doctor
Anelia Dyoulgerova	...	Belly Dancer
Nathan Barrett	...	Starbucks Customer
Darla Vandenbossche	...	Starbucks Customer
Sean Tyson	...	Starbucks Customer
Chiu-Lin Tam	...	Starbucks Customer
Guy Fauchon	...	Starbucks Customer
Grant Gershon	...	St. Augustine’s Choir Director
Crispin Barrymore	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Tania Batson	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Joseph Bazyouros	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Edie Lehmann	...	St. Augustine's Choir (as Edie Lehmann Boddicker)
Paul Bent	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Cindy Bourquin	...	St. Augustine's Choir (as Cindy Bourquinn)
Leanna Brand	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Andy Brown	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Karen Hogle Brown	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Vicky Preston Brown	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Alvin Chea	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Leberta Lorál	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Pablo Corá	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Claire Seely Fedoruk	...	St. Augustine's Choir (as Claire Fedoruk)
Amy Fogerson	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Rachelle Fox	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Michael Freed	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Michael Geiger	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Dylan Gentile	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Scott Graff	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Steven Harms	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Saundra Hall Hill	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Marie T. Hodgson	...	St. Augustine's Choir (as Marie Hodgson)
Clydene Jackson-Edwards	...	St. Augustine's Choir (as Clydene Jackson)
Diana Zaslove Kahn	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Teri Eiko Koide	...	St. Augustine's Choir (as Teri Koide)
Bob Lewis	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Sean McDermott	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Alice Kirwan Murray	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Bobbi Page	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Steve Pence	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Fletcher Sheridan	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Kevin St. Clair	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Cahen Taylor	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Carmen Twillie	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Winter Watson	...	St. Augustine's Choir
John West	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Gerald White	...	St. Augustine's Choir
Eyvonne Williams	...	St. Augustine's Choir
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rik Young	...	Randy (scenes deleted)
Bob Balaban	...	Jewelry Store Clerk (uncredited)
Arne Starr	...	Man in Church (uncredited)
Wanda Sykes	...	Doctor (uncredited)

Directed by
Ken Kwapis

Writing credits (WGA)
Kim Barker		(screenplay) and
Tim Rasmussen		(screenplay) &
Vince Di Meglio		(screenplay)
Kim Barker		(story) &
Wayne Lloyd		(story)

Produced by
Bruce Berman	....	executive producer
Trevor Engelson	....	co-producer
Brad Fischer	....	executive producer (as Bradley J. Fischer)
Dana Goldberg	....	executive producer
Mike Medavoy	....	producer
Arnold Messer	....	producer (as Arnold W. Messer)
Nick Osborne	....	producer
Louis Phillips	....	co-producer
Christine A. Sacani	....	co-producer (as Christine Sacani)
Robert Simonds	....	producer
David Thwaites	....	executive producer
Kim Zubick	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christophe Beck

Cinematography by
John Bailey

Film Editing by
Kathryn Himoff

Casting by
Jakki Fink
Shani Ginsberg

Production Design by
Gae S. Buckley

Art Direction by
Andrew Max Cahn		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Karen O'Hara

Costume Design by
Deena Appel

Makeup Department
Steve Artmont	....	makeup artist: Ms. Moore
Susan Boyd	....	hair stylist
David Danon	....	hair stylist (as David Dannon)
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup department head (as Scott Eddo)
Roxane Griffin	....	hair stylist (as Roxane Griffin-Crank)
Jim Kail	....	makeup artist (as James R. Kail)
Cheri Minns	....	hair stylist: Mr. Williams
Cheri Minns	....	makeup artist: Mr. Williams
Janine Rath	....	hair department head (as Janine Rath-Thompson)
Janine Rath	....	hair stylist: Ms. Moore (as Janine Rath-Thompson)
Nicole Venables	....	hair stylist (as Nicole Venerables)

Production Management
David E. Hall	....	post-production executive
James R. McAllister	....	unit production manager: second unit
Susan V. McConnell	....	unit production manager
Richard H. Prince	....	production manager
Mark Scoon	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Misha Bukowski	....	assistant director: additional photography
Misha Bukowski	....	key second assistant director
John Isabeau	....	assistant director
John Isabeau	....	assistant director: additional photography
Amanda Lopez	....	second second assistant director
Emily McGovern	....	additional second assistant director
John Pontrelli	....	second second assistant director (as John 'Ponch' Pontrelli)
Cynthia A. Potthast	....	second assistant director
Sarah Pryzibilla	....	additional second assistant director (as Sarah Blumenthal)
Marty Eli Schwartz	....	first assistant director
Stacy Stuart	....	dga trainee
Melissa R. Stubbs	....	second unit director
Rhonda Taylor	....	third assistant director: additional photography unit

Art Department
Armando Abarca	....	drapery foreman
Jeff Barnett	....	prop assistant
Michael J. Bertolina	....	assistant property master
Mark Lambert Bristol	....	storyboard artist
Anthony Carlino	....	leadman
Melissa Elbaum	....	buyer
Jane Fitts	....	graphic designer
Ellen Freund	....	property master: additional photography
Monica Frommholz	....	set decorating coordinator
Terry Gonsalves	....	on-set dresser: reshoots
Michelle Hendriksen	....	assistant property master: reshoots
Franziska Keller	....	art department coordinator
Jonas Kirk	....	construction coordinator
Paul Mugavero	....	set dresser
David Napoli	....	set dresser
Audra Neil	....	set buyer: additional photography
Brittany Pala	....	art assistant
Julie Smith	....	assistant decorator
Phillip Thoman	....	on-set dresser
Timothy S. Wiles	....	prop master
Helen Wilson	....	props
Todd Wolcott	....	greensman
Marcel Worch	....	general foreman
Philip D. Shea	....	daily assistant props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul Aulicino	....	sound effects editor
Bob Beher	....	supervising foley editor
John Cannon	....	first assistant sound editor (as John G. Cannon)
Dino Dimuro	....	sound effects editor
Jed M. Dodge	....	adr editor
Jed M. Dodge	....	dialogue editor
Jason George	....	supervising sound editor
Xavier Horan	....	sound editor
Daniel S. Irwin	....	adr editor
Daniel S. Irwin	....	dialogue editor
Chris Jargo	....	adr editor
Chris Jargo	....	dialogue editor
David Jobe	....	foley mixer
Michael McGee	....	additional sound mixer
Jason Oliver	....	ProTools adr recordist
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Troy Porter	....	adr mixer
Geoffrey G. Rubay	....	supervising sound editor
Brad Sherman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Stambler	....	sound effects editor
Karen Vassar	....	sound effects editor
Ross Wissbaum	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
Charles Belardinelli	....	special effects
Thomas L. Bellissimo	....	special effects coordinator (as Tom Bellissimo)
Jim Boulden	....	animatronic animals
Dan Cervin	....	special effects first assistant: reshoot
Dan Crawley	....	special effects technician
Brandon Engstrom	....	sculptor
Johnny Franco III	....	special effects
Malia Thompson	....	special effects technician
Shannon J. Thompson	....	special effects (as Shannon Thompson)

Visual Effects by
Barb Benoit	....	digital compositor
Robert Bloom	....	compositor
Ian Britton	....	visual effects
Ling Chen	....	digital compositor
Robert Crowther	....	visual effects producer
Theo Diamantis	....	digital compositor
Janice Genn	....	visual effects on-set coordinator
Matt Hansen	....	lead 3D artist
Ariel Joson	....	digital artist
Jef Lonn	....	digital compositor
Daniel Mellitz	....	set data manager: second unit pickups
Hojin Park	....	digital compositor
Hoa Tran	....	digital effects artist
Thomas Turnbull	....	visual effects supervisor (as Tom Turnbull)

Stunts
Tammie Rae Baird	....	precision driver
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts
Jacob Chambers	....	stunt double
Annie Ellis	....	stunt performer
J. Armin Garza II	....	stunt driver: camera car
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts
Sean Graham	....	stunts
Tad Griffith	....	stunt driver
Michael Hansen	....	stunt double
Thomas Robinson Harper	....	stunt coordinator
Kathy Hubble	....	stunts
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunt driver
Henry Kingi Jr.	....	stunt driver
Casey O'Neill	....	stunts
Rex Reddick	....	stunts
Larry Rippenkroeger	....	stunts
David Schultz	....	stunt rigger
John Stoneham Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (re-shoots)
Melissa R. Stubbs	....	stunt coordinator
Mark Vanselow	....	precision driver coordinator
T.J. White	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Ken W. Ballantine	....	best boy electric
Art Bartels	....	key grip
Jennifer Bell	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Scott Brinson	....	grip: Jamaica
Chris Browne	....	assistant camera
Bruce Chimerofsky	....	best boy grip
Cheli Clayton	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Cheli Clayton Samaras)
Thomas A. Curran	....	company grip
Jack Davison	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
James Dittiger	....	still photographer: re-shoots
Craig Doobie	....	rigging grip
Jim Duggan	....	company grip
Ray Edwards	....	assistant camera
J. Christopher Elizondo	....	rigging electric
Michael Fitzgerald	....	epk photographer
Matt Fortlage	....	second assistant camera
Steven W. Gage	....	best boy rigging grip
Steve Galvin	....	lighting technician
Jeff Gatesman	....	lighting console programmer
Bob Gorelick	....	Steadicam operator
Joseph Graham	....	key rigging grip
Gregg Guellow	....	rigging grip
Timothy Jipping	....	company grip
Jared Jordan	....	camera loader
David Katz	....	digital video assist operator
Peter Kuttner	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Greg Mayer	....	electrician
David McKnight	....	digital video assist operator: additional cinematography
Matthew Moriarty	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Mike Moyer	....	gaffer
Jay Pope	....	rigging grip
Michael Rintoul	....	camera operator: "b" camera
John S. Robertson	....	grip
Jan Ruona	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, Jamaica
George Santo Pietro	....	dolly grip
Sean Shinneman	....	company grip
Tommy Tieche	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Michael Tsimperopoulos	....	Steadicam operator
Michael Tsimperopoulos	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Sean Tuell	....	rigging grip

Casting Department
Michael Barbuto	....	casting intern
Heike Brandstatter	....	additional casting
Freya Krasnow	....	casting assistant
Coreen Mayrs	....	additional casting
Jeff Olan	....	extras casting
Tiffany Mak	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sandra J. Blackie	....	costume coordinator
Nickolaus Brown	....	costume supervisor
Conan Castro Jr.	....	costumer
Leoisick Castro	....	costumer
Gloria Fonseca	....	set costumer
Aieisha Li	....	costume set supervisor
Bob Moore Jr.	....	set costumer
Meghan Corea	....	costume production assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Angela Barton	....	assistant editor
Ben 'Young Hollywood' Brandfon	....	editorial runner
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Margo Johnston	....	post-production coordinator
Jason Ninness	....	post-production coordinator: Phoenix Pictures
Jeffrey C. Price	....	assistant editor
Robert Raring	....	color timer (as Bob Raring)
Peter Tackaberry	....	assistant editor
Tim Wilson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Spring Aspers	....	music supervisor
Adam Blau	....	composer: additional music
David Carbonara	....	music editor
Ryan Gaines	....	music coordinator
Nick Glennie-Smith	....	conductor
Mark Graham	....	music librarian
Will Kaplan	....	music editor
Kevin Kliesch	....	orchestrator
Jake Monaco	....	score coordinator
Brian Ross	....	music supervisor
Peter Rotter	....	orchestra contractor
Ralph Sall	....	soundtrack album producer
Casey Stone	....	music scoring mixer
Casey Stone	....	score recordist

Transportation Department
Paulie DiCocco	....	driver: Robin Williams
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Russell McEntyre	....	transportation coordinator
Nancy Rosing	....	transportation office coordinator
Mark Vanselow	....	precision driver coordinator

Other crew
Stephen Andrzejewski	....	assistant location manager
Rich Bokides	....	film runner
Morgan Brady	....	production assistant: reshoots
Christopher Campbell	....	location manager: re-shoots
Adam W. Chang	....	production assistant
Stephen Chan	....	on-set key production assistant: additional photography
Joyanna Crouse	....	photo double
Lorenzo dela Rosa	....	set production assistant
Jon Donahue	....	adr artist
Susan Dukow	....	production coordinator
Fred Einesman	....	medical consultant
John Everlove	....	technical advisor
Perri Fichtner	....	key assistant location manager
Katie Forss	....	payroll accountant: additional photography
Lisa Furia	....	second assistant accountant
Terri Goddard	....	assistant: Mr. Simonds
Rhona Gordon	....	studio teacher
Justin Healy	....	key assistant location manager
Tim Hillman	....	location manager
John A. Kane Jr.	....	office production assistant
Beth J. Linden	....	additional production assistant
Thomas Machan	....	assistant to accountants
Larry Madrid	....	animal trainer
Tim Marion	....	assistant: Mr. Medavoy
Ruben Marquez	....	office production assistant
Doug McKay	....	assistant: Mr. Medavoy
Isaac Mejía	....	key set production assistant
Paul Michalak	....	production assistant
Santino Morea	....	production assistant
Eva Morgan	....	production coordinator: additional photography
Amy Morrison	....	second assistant production coordinator
Jason Ninness	....	production coordinator: Phoenix Pictures
Josh Novak	....	production assistant
Jamie Pagliano	....	assistant: Ms. Moore
Harley Pasternak	....	personal trainer
Paige Potter	....	production assistant
Ron Puckett	....	assistant: Mr. Messer
Rebecca Rajkowski	....	assistant to director
Rebecca Rajkowski	....	assistant: Mr. Kwapis
Reggie Rizzo	....	animal fabrication
Jamie Robinson	....	production secretary
David Jedidiah Rose	....	production assistant: re-shoots
Veda Semarne	....	script supervisor
Scott Sheldon	....	key set production assistant
Rebecca Erwin Spencer	....	assistant: Mr. Williams
Brian Sperber	....	production assistant
Noah Suchoff	....	set production assistant
Tammy Thomas	....	production assistant
Laura Tiz	....	assistant accountant: jamaica
Stephanie Tull	....	set production assistant
Michael Umble	....	publicist
Julie Valine	....	assistant: Mr. Simonds
Daniella Wells	....	personal assistant: Christine Taylor
Michele Wright	....	second assistant accountant
Nicole Wright	....	assistant: Mr. Osborne
Sandra L. Yeary	....	first assistant accountant
Andrew Zilch	....	assistant production coordinator
Richard Lilly	....	set production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
• Village Roadshow Pictures (in association with)
• Robert Simonds Productions
• Phoenix Pictures
• Underground Films and Management
• Proposal Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox-Warner (2007) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Entertainment (2007) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution Sverige AB (2007) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2007) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2007) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2007) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Oxygen Media (2007) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Drac Studios (animatronic babies)
• Pacific Title (opticals)
• Rocket Science VFX (visual effects)
• Animal Makers (animatronic animals)

Other Companies

• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animal handlers
• Bulletproof Recording Company  soundtrack (as Bulletproof Records)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Corbis  thanks
• Dress the Set  thanks
• Executive Assurance  security
• Flim Show Productions  production services: Jamaica
• Getty Images  thanks
• Hollywood Camera  additional camera equipment
• Hollywood-DI  HD screening services
• MS-Pro/MusicSupervisor.com  post-production (music services)
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  production trailers
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Packair Airfreight  international logistics
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  modem card rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  nextel cell phone rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  walkie rentals
• Technicolor  color
• Thomas Cobb Design  main title sequence designed by (as Thomas Cobb Group)
• Wide World Photos  thanks (as AP/Wide World Photos)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual humor and language.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:12A | Ireland:12A | Singapore:PG | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:10 | Chile:TE | Argentina:13 | Taiwan:PG-12 (original rating) | Sweden:Btl | Australia:M | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #43543) | Norway:A

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

WILHELM SCREAM: During the marriage road test, an old man on a scooter crashes into a car.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Reverend Frank is playing the Ten Commandments quiz game with the children, he flips the "coveting" card to its answer-revealing side on the board behind him; but in the closeup afterwords of his face, it's flipped back to its answer-hiding side. In the next shot, it's back to its correct, answer-revealing position.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
Reverend Frank: I'm gonna have to heal you. We have got to pray! We have got to pray! We have got to pray to make it through the day!
Ben Murphy: [pause] Was that M.C. Hammer?

Movie Connections:

References "Dora the Explorer" (2000)

Soundtrack:

New Shoes

God-awful comedy

"License to Wed" might as well have been called "Meet the Minister," since all the film does is to recycle the nightmare-before-marriage scenario from "Meet the Parents" - albeit with one crucial deviation. Needless to say, lightning rarely strikes twice when it comes to Hollywood happenings and "License to Wed" is no "Meet the Parents." Not by a long shot.

Ben Murphy and Sadie Jones are a young Chicago couple who agree to undergo an intense pre-marital "training course" conducted by an obnoxious local reverend in exchange for being allowed to hold their nuptials at the church Sadie's dearly departed grandfather helped to build. To pass the course, the couple must agree to be abstinent until the wedding night, take care of two fully operational and anatomically correct mechanical infants, and undergo various forms of trauma that even Sigmund Freud himself would have trouble undoing after years of reparative analysis.

As a "Meet the Parents" wannabe, "License to Wed" stumbles right out of the starting gate in that one can imagine suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous humiliation and abuse in order to win the favor of a prospective spouse's PARENTS, but to go through all that just to placate her MINISTER? I don't think so. In no time flat, the laughter turns to frustration as we find ourselves wondering why Ben doesn't just tell the dear old Reverend to go take a hike - or worse - and then seek out some religious establishment with less stringent requirements for walking down the aisle.

And let's face it, there's something more than a trifle off-putting and creepy about an unwed man-of-the-cloth running around with a young boy as his personal protégé and sidekick, planting listening devices in young couple's bedrooms. Even for an alleged comic fantasy such as this one, that may be just a bridge farther than most people will be willing to go in the queasiness department.

John Krasinski and Mandy Moore make an appealing enough couple, and it isn't really their fault that they've been handed a screenplay - written by no fewer than three writers, a sure sign of trouble - filled with cornball humor, heavy-handed slapstick and unappetizing secondary characters. In the role of Reverend Frank, Robin Williams, all cutesy mannerisms and third-rate mugging, hits a new low in teeth-grinding unctuousness, although one likes to believe that, if director Ken Kwapis could have gotten the actor to dial back his performance even a little, this might have been at least a tolerable movie. As it is, though, "License to Wed" is a painful experience that you will have no trouble leaving stranded at the altar.