Product Details

• Actors: John Stamos, Eric Dane, Josh Brolin, Bonnie Somerville, Sean Maher
• Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French
• Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
  PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click here.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: June 26, 2007
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000OVLBHQ
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #23,605 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Wedding Wars" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Capitalizing on the charisma of John Stamos and Eric Dane, Wedding Wars is a romantic comedy with a political agenda--gay marriage. No, Stamos and Dane don't play lovers, but rather estranged siblings. Dane leaves behind his McSteamy persona from Grey's Anatomy to portray Ben, a slightly uptight man who ends up hiring his gay brother Shel (Stamos) to be his wedding planner. The two seem to be getting along famously, but then politics enters the fray. Ben is engaged to the governor's daughter, and the governor (James Brolin) has taken a public stance against same sex marriage. Though his constituents seem to approve of his political agenda, Shel doesn't. And he shows his displeasure by walking off the job. Though the comedy gets a tad preachy about the inequalities gays face in society, Wedding Wars handles a serious subject in a funny and touching manner. The governor isn't as homophobic as his politics would have you believe. And the film gently addresses how the passive reluctance of politicians to say what they really feel, as opposed to what they think they should say, can hurt the people they serve. Stamos, who has made a career for himself playing the onscreen object of female desire, offers a wonderful performance that is witty and likeable. Shel doesn't go out of his way to tout his sexual orientation, but--unlike the governor, and to a lesser extent Ben--he also isn't afraid of letting his true voice be heard. --Jae-Ha Kim

Product Description

Shel Grandy (John Stamos), a gay party planner, is asked by his straight brother Ben (Eric Dane - Grey’s Anatomy) to organize his wedding to Maggie Welling (Bonnie Somerville - The O.C.). But when Governor Welling (James Brolin), who is Ben’s boss and Maggie’s father, speaks out against gay marriage, Ben decides to go on strike. The wedding is almost off when Maggie sides with Shel, while Shel’s boyfriend Ted (Sean Maher) supports Ben’s position. Shel’s stand becomes the focus of national media attention with gays across the country striking for equal rights.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Campy & Funny with a message, May 17, 2007

By	Brian C (San Jose, Ca United States) - See all my reviews

I just saw this movie the other day. A friend of mine had taped it. I found the movie to be very campy and funny. There were some stereotypes used in creating many of the supporting cast, but the Stamos and Maher were anything but. While there were some stereotypes used in creating each character, they were both well rounded, and in no way the cliche "flaming over the top fag" that tends to be created in most other comedies.

The movie has a great message, and one that I hope will actually be heard. I applaude A&E for airing a movie like this. It had a much wider audience than if it had been broadcast on one of the gay networks, or released only on DVD. I wish more of studios would take a stand and make movies with queer main characters, and have them be well rounded, and not cliches.

OH, and just on a side note, Sean Maher is still as hot as ever, even if he went from a doctor on a spaceship (Firefly-TV series) to an assistiant district attorney. Either way, he is always a great bonus to any show.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Strong Message, May 14, 2007

By	Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

"Wedding Wars"

A Strong Message

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

"Wedding Wars" (Sony), a made for TV movie, takes a big issue and tries to make it acceptable to most people, Gay marriage has become such a major issue in America and many people have no idea of how involved the whole business it. In the movie, the message is there, albeit, sugar-coated. What the movie that was screened on A&E shows is that civil unions are better than nothing but fall short of marriage regarding equal rights and protections and the fact that because a majority wants something does not make it right. It also shows that many people have closeted gay members in their families and they in reality know a gay person, even if they do not wish to acknowledge it, Some of us have problems with commitment because we have been conditioned by society not to see that as an option. It is important, however, to remember that knowing a gay person is not the same as accepting one without reservations. With that said--and these issues are major, let's move onto the movie.
John Stamos plays an openly gay guy who stands up for what he believes and he did so gloriously. Shel (Stamos) is asked to plan his brother's, Ben's, wedding to the governor's daughter. Shel's problems begin when he realizes that his brother does not believe that gay couples are entitled to the same rights as straight couples. He decides to stand up for what he believes in and goes on strike. Support for his stance comes slowly ad he plays the part to the hilt. Stamos is funny and sexy and vulnerable and he keeps the movie on the right course. Ben, Shel's brother, on the other hand, is uptight and is highly opposed to gay marriage and the battles between the two brothers mirror the arguments going on in our country today. The difference is that these arguments are funny. What could be a complex and multidimensional issue laden with controversy s treated comically and with a great deal of heart and warmth.
When Stamos stages his own one man strike and his withdrawal from his brother's wedding and picketing of the governor's mansion (Can you see that in Arkansas?), he gets a lot of media attention and even though he does not win the immediate political war, he does win the love of his friends and family, including the love of his brother, whose wedding he refused to plan.
The birth of this political activist came about because of the limits placed upon his own rights and Stamos does not play the character as a gay stereotype but rather his character grows sand develops as he becomes more politically aware.
The message delivered by "Wedding Wars" is that rights and respect are not won from inside the closet.
This is NOT a great movie. It is fluffy and therefore does not offend. I found it engaging but it is somewhat tacky and cheaply made. After all, it was not meant to be a documentary nor to argue the pros and cons of the debate over gay marriage. It's purpose was to entertain the average American TV viewer and thatit does, in my opinion. It is definitely worth a look see.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Well Done, Professional Comedy with an Understated Powerful Message, June 30, 2007

By	Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The added features on this very entertaining DVD of the brisk and light comedy WEDDING WARS bear watching: the producers, director and actors make the case for the approach of this quality film in tackling the issue of rights for gay marriage in a manner that could not offend anyone and at the same time create a more serious vantage from which to view the controversy. It is the only time in the 'film' that politics is the issue, a factor that makes the actual viewing of the story far more powerful. Credit the writer Stephen Mazur and director Jim Fall for a creating a frothy, fun story that has much more at its core than just entertainment.

Ben Grandy (Eric Dane) works as the campaign manager for the Governor of Maine (James Brolin) and proposes to the governor's daughter Maggie (Bonnie Sommerville). The wedding will be at the waterside mansion of the Governor and when the need for a wedding planner is raised, Maggie insists they ask Shel Grandy (John Stamos), the openly gay brother of Ben, who as a party planner has always dreamed of doing a wedding. Shel is in a successful relationship with state prosecutor Ted (Sean Moore) who remains in the closet for career reasons. Shel jumps at the chance to do the wedding, hoping that in some way this event will mend the schism with his big brother who has been distant since Shel informed him he was gay. All goes well until Ben writes a speech for the Governor in which the Governor states he is against gay marriage. Shel is stunned, gathers up his plans for the wedding and begins a private strike for gay marriage, a strike that with television and media coverage soon spreads across the entire USA, the result being the closure of beauty salons, florists, restaurants, limo services (and all the stereotype gay run businesses, unfortunately). The crisis is ultimately resolved in a humorous yet very touching manner and to reveal more would diminish the impact for the viewer.

John Stamos is superb as the radical Shel, but everyone in the cast is completely professional - James Brolin, Eric Dane, Bonnie Sommerville, Sean Maher, Claire Welling, Sean McCann, Jane Eastwood, Linda Kash, etc.
The production qualities are polished, the story flows along at a fast clip, and in the end there are moments of truth that poignantly emphasize human rights to happiness for everyone. Would that there were more films of this caliber to deliver social comment without the preaching so often associated with message films. It is a delight to watch. Grady Harp, June 07