Review: ‘Do You Take This Man’ is not the gay wedding drama you’ve been waiting for

Who doesn’t love a good wedding movie? Unfortunately, “Do You Take This Man” isn’t one of those. That it involves gay nuptials makes this sluggish talkfest feel like even more of a missed opportunity; something livelier and more compelling was in order.

Writer-director Joshua Tunick’s earnest, at times mawkish, drama finds mismatched Los Angeles couple Daniel (Anthony Rapp) and Christopher (Jonathan Bennett) facing a series of unexpected setbacks the day before their wedding.

Although these last-minute relationship testers may throw the guys, they’re such contrived, low-boil or avoidable hiccups that the film never builds any real sense of emotional tension or jeopardy as folks assemble at Daniel and Christopher’s house for a rehearsal dinner. As presented, these husbands-to-be could use a shrink first, a minister second.

The supporting characters, including Daniel’s exemplary parents (Sam Anderson, Lee Garlington), stressed sister (Alyson Hannigan) and loyal pal (Mackenzie Astin), as well as Christopher’s besties (Thomas Dekker, Hutchi Hancock) and lovely, estranged childhood friend (Alona Tal), join the grooms in endless naval-gazing, hand-wringing and lesson-learning.

Tunick’s clearly budget-conscious choice to shoot largely inside the couple’s nicely appointed home compounds this routinely shot and edited film’s stagy, static quality.

Some uneven acting and middling chemistry between Rapp (so good in the recent indie drama “Bwoy”) and Bennett don’t help.

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‘Do You Take This Man’

Not rated.

Running time: 1 hour 34 minutes.

Playing: AMC Sunset Dine-In 5, West Hollywood

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