USA: JENNIFER LOPEZ AND MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY ATTEND PREMIERE OF THEIR NEW FILM "THE WEDDING PLANNER".

Record ID: 390785

  • Title: USA: JENNIFER LOPEZ AND MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY ATTEND PREMIERE OF THEIR NEW FILM "THE WEDDING PLANNER".
  • Date: 13th January 2001
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 13, 2001) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) JENNIFER LOPEZ SAYING: I mean, we all do. We all hope that one day, we'll be part of that fairy tale, you know? It's what keeps us going, you know? But, I love movies like this. I love romantic comedies and it's just for that reason. It's because they do supply that kind of fantasy f
  • Embargoed: 28th January 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAA9WWYPYVLYLCZYQ21QYPAUDEI
  • Story Text: Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey both take on their first traditional romantic comedy in the new film "The Wedding Planner." They were the guests of honor at the film's World Premiere on Tuesday, January 23 in Los Angeles.
    "The Wedding Planner," to be released in the United States on Jan. 26, is a new departure for Lopez after her role as a psychologist in the disturbing thriller "The Cell" and the chemistry she cooked up with George Clooney in the 1998 action movie "Out of Sight."
    Lopez said she enjoyed the challenge of romantic comedy.
    "I love movies like this. I love romantic comedies and it's just for that reason. It's because they do supply that kind of fantasy for you."
    Early on in "The Wedding Planner, it becomes apparent that Mary Fiore (Lopez) knew what she wanted to be when she grew up: Whether it's setting up Barbie's rite of passage or a nervous bride's in the present, Mary is the wedding planner par excellence, handling things with the authority of a TV director at the Olympics.
    Working under Geri (Kathy Najimy), who owns a successful San Francisco wedding-planning business, Mary is easily the firm's best handler, and demands to become Geri's partner if she lands the lucrative account of the wealthy, high-tech biz Donolly clan, whose strong-willed daughter Fran (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras) is about to be married.
    Mary's private life is a lonely affair. Dad Salvatore (Alex Rocco) eyeballs Mary's childhood mate, Massimo (Justin Chambers), whom she disliked then and has no time for now.
    Like a clueless, innocent bulldog, Massimo is deaf to Mary's signals and promptly announces he's marrying her -- launching the movie's subplot.
    A freak accident involving her Gucci pumps lands Mary in the rescuing arms of Steve (McConaughey), a pediatrician with charm to burn. Mary's goofy assistant, Penny (Judy Greer), spots the appeal right away, and not so craftily arranges a date for the two of them in Golden Gate Park, where the pair end up dancing to an alfresco screening of ``Two Tickets to Broadway,'' starring Tony Martin and Janet Leigh. In true screwball fashion, Mary turns around the next day to start prepping for Fran's big day, only to find that the bridegroom is none other than Dr. Steve.
    Choreographer-turned-director Adam Shankman struts his stuff staging a crackling tango dance number between the stars, who step and swoop while arguing back and forth about Steve's seeming deceit.
    Although McConnaughey is coordinated and rhythmically inclined, he didn't know any dance steps.
    "So I had to learn some steps and I'm a very undisciplined dancer myself. So I had to learn the discipline of the tango and that was part of the fun of learning, I mean, that was the love scene in this picture, you know, the big dance we have," said McConnaughey.
    Lopez, who began her professional career as a dancer, was impressed with the neophyte.
    "I am a dancer and I had trouble with the scene with the dialogue and the tango and all that stuff and he just did so great and I knew it was hard for me so I can only imagine for somebody who wasn't used to choreography and doing stuff like that how hard it was for him."
    Another well-cut exchange -- in which Penny convinces Mary to remain professional while Steve's golfing buddy (Kevin Pollak) convinces him that this was a one-night loss of control -- suggests this comedy might build toward something special.
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