The Decoy Bride

PG

Released Mar 9, 2012

1 hr. 29 min.

Comedy

Drama

List

23%

22 Reviews

Tomatometer

51%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A local woman (Kelly Macdonald) is hired to draw paparazzi away from a Hollywood actress (Alice Eve) who has come to Scotland to get married.

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J

20 minutes in and I could not bring myself to finish watching this movie. The plot was predictable and boring. Even the Scottish accents and scenery weren't enough.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/29/23

Full Review

Jeebjorb

This movie is great! I saw the bad reviews and had to chime in. This is a favorite for me. The actors have so much chemistry and the setting is charming and the story is great. It might not be revolutionary, but it is still a great movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The kind of movie I want to watch when I need cheering up. It's funny, it's light, and well written. The critics who disliked this movie don't like the movies I like- they're more interested in the diversity of a film, and big names, so I don't care what the Village Voice thinks about a movie. I also think this shows Scotland to great advantage.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Although there were some weak points, it was a pleasant, relaxing movie. David Tennant and Kelly McDonald make the difference! I loved the cast, I loved the old ladies of Hegg, I loved it was simple and sweet and I loved the jokes!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An extremely likeable cast with at least a handful of touching moments rides the story to a partially predictable ending

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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philip s

How do you know when you've found the one? When you look into their eyes and find yourself singing, ‘You Are The Wind Beneath My Wings.' This is one of the key moments of dialogue between Katie (Kelly MacDonald–Disney's "Brave") and James (David Tennant–Doctor Who) in IFC Film's recent rom/com take off of Cinderella, "The Decoy Bride." That single line of dialogue is so important because not only does it take off Cinderella, it also lifts at least somewhat from Bette Midler's 1997 rom/com, "That Old Feeling." It also lifts, at least to a certain degree, from the 1990 Julia Roberts/Richard Gere rom/com "Pretty Woman." It's pretty easy to see Macdonald attempting to emulate Julia Roberts throughout the movie. "Decoy Bride" does lift from other rom/com classics, as noted. But in its defense, the central plot of James and Lara trying to escape the papparazzi so that they can get married is a prime example of art imitating life, especially withthe recent case surrounding certain celebrities, who will remain unnamed here. That it's such a direct mirror of the world's obsession with celebrities makes it worthy of its share of laughs. The story behind "The Decoy Bride" is great fun. Audiences who want a little more insight into the story will appreciate the cast interviews included in the special features. Each cast member discusses being added to the film, and working together. [David] Tennant even discusses the weather during filming. While a rain machine was used at some points, Tennant points out how precise the people on the Isle of Man were in predicting the weather. Director Sheree Folkson advances that with her own discussionon how perfectly the weather played out for the entire movie. The Decoy Bride is in essence an update of the classic story of Cinderella. And it does lift from other previous rom/coms. But it still manages to make its own identity and life. And keeping that in mind, it is worth at least one watch by any fan of the rom/com genre.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Sheree Folkson

Director

Kelly Macdonald

Katie NicAoidh

David Tennant

James Arber

Alice Eve

Lara Tyler

Michael Urie

Steve Korbitz

Federico Castelluccio

Marco Ballani

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

Instead of working to clarify its high-concept contrivances, the romantic comedy "The Decoy Bride" jettisons logic and detail for silly-quirky rompiness.

Rated: 1/5

Mar 16, 2012

Full Review

Matt Bochenski

Little White Lies

Possibly the worst thing ever in world history.

Rated: 1/5

Mar 12, 2012

Full Review

Frank Scheck

Hollywood Reporter

A bland romantic comedy in the Richard Curtis style, The Decoy Bride is mainly notable for its proof, if any was needed after Boardwalk Empire, that Kelly Macdonald is a major talent.

Mar 9, 2012

Full Review

Victoria Luxford

The National (UAE)

A wretched script and sloppy premise is saved from cinema hell by a charming pair of leads, but still, The Decoy Bride fails to raise anything more than a chuckle.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 30, 2012

Full Review

James Plath

Movie Metropolis

"The Decoy Bride" doesn't offer anything truly original, but as romantic comedies go it makes for a pleasant enough evening. And if you're like me, the scenery is a bonus.

Rated: 7/10

Jun 28, 2012

Full Review

Brian Orndorf

BrianOrndorf.com

A woefully pedestrian effort, meant for background noise at a bridal shop, not a feature film that requires the purchase of a ticket.

Rated: D+

Mar 15, 2012

Full Review

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Synopsis

A local woman (Kelly Macdonald) is hired to draw paparazzi away from a Hollywood actress (Alice Eve) who has come to Scotland to get married.

Director: Sheree Folkson
Executive Producer: Mark Woolley
Screenwriter: Neil Jaworski, Sally Phillips
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Isle of Man Film, Scottish Screen
Rating: PG (Some Rude Content)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 9, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 31, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $542

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