License to Wed (2007) Review: Ranking Robin Williams’ Worst Slapstick
Is License to Wed (2007) a good movie? No, License to Wed is a lazy, frustrating 2007 comedy. Drowning in smug humor and terrible slapstick, Robin Williams is the only redeemable element, dropping this film to the absolute bottom tier of our ultimate movie ranking and review.
The Premise: What is License to Wed About?
Ben (John Krasinski) and Sadie (Mandy Moore) are a newly engaged couple who want to get married quickly. However, their chosen church requires them to undergo an intense, unconventional premarital counseling program run by Reverend Frank (Robin Williams). The program turns into a series of intrusive tests and psychological games designed to push the couple to their breaking point.
What Works: Robin Williams
The nicest thing we can say is that this feels like a movie where making it was probably way more fun than actually watching it. Robin Williams was a consummate professional no matter what he was handed, and he is the only bright spot in an otherwise dismal film.
What Doesn't Work: 2007 Smugness and Robot Babies
This is easily the most "2007 movie" ever made. It is packed with actors from The Office and carries a smug, sarcastic, dismissive vibe that was everywhere at the time. It relies heavily on gross-out slapstick, specifically a scene involving twin robot babies that will legitimately haunt your nightmares for years to come.
Furthermore, it is incredibly lazy filmmaking. The movie takes place in Chicago, but heavily relies on B-roll of the city spliced with obvious Los Angeles locations, right down to shooting outside an LA bar and pretending it's the Midwest.
The Robin Williams Ranking & Performance Score
Robin Williams Performance Score:RETIRED Out of respect for Robin's battle with undiagnosed Lewy Body Dementia, we have officially retired our performance score rating.
Good Mourning Robin Ranking: In our ranking, it sits near the very bottom, just below The Night Listener. It is pure 2007 vaporware.
FAQ: License to Wed (2007) Movie
What is License to Wed about? An engaged couple is forced to undergo extreme and invasive premarital counseling run by a quirky reverend in order to get married in their dream church.
Who stars in License to Wed? Robin Williams plays Reverend Frank, alongside John Krasinski and Mandy Moore as the engaged couple.
Is License to Wed a good movie? In our review, we pan the film for its lazy writing, smug 2007 humor, and terrifying slapstick sequences involving animatronic robot babies.
