When the infamous, self-styled bomber and arsonist, 'Citizen', targets the upcoming Miss United States Pageant, the FBI plants one of its own agents, the unlikely Special Agent Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock), as a contestant working under cover. She's the only one at hand who could conceivably pull it off in a swimsuit - with a lot of help from long time pageant consultant Victor Melling (Michael Caine) whose job is to transform an accident prone, gum chewing, pageant-despising tough nut into a world peace loving beauty queen. And her job is to not only pass muster on live television, but to help apprehend the crazed bomber who threatens the lives of the contestants.
Gracie Hart is transformed into Miss New Jersey, Gracie Lou Freebush. And what a transformation it is. It's amazing how plain Hollywood can make a woman look before pulling out all the stops to make her the beauty we've come to accept as the norm (for Hollywood). Benjamin Bratt's role is simply to keep the female viewers happy. He's great eye candy but his acting could do with a little work. It wasn't that he was particularly bad, but he just didn't compare to the rest of the great cast. This movie had me laughing out loud both times I saw it. The second time was on a plane, with those headphones, so the laughter brought a few odd looks. But who cares! I enjoyed it twice and I'm sure that everyone else will too, particularly when viewed with an ANUFG audience.

Mary Fiore (Lopez) is one of the best wedding planners in the state of California. Whenever anyone needs to arrange a lavish wedding, they come to her. Despite her profession, however, she leads an unromantic life, using the motto, "those who can't wed, plan". Things change for her one afternoon when she is saved from being struck by a runaway garbage dumpster by a handsome doctor named Steve Edison (McConaughey). The two spend a romantic evening together and Mary thinks she may have found Mr. Right - until Steve turns out to be the fianc((eacute)) of her latest client, Fran Donolly (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras). But, as the planning of the wedding becomes more involved, Mary and Steve's attraction represents a growing impediment.
There are times when the movie's contrivance is laughable (which is lucky as it's a comedy). Consider all the plot mechanics involving Mary's Italian-American father (Alec Rocco) and his schemes to marry her off to Massimo, her childhood playmate from the old country (Calvin Klein model Justin Chambers, sounding as Italian as most people named Chambers). Then consider how Mary spends her free time (on a Scrabble team) and how she accepts a proposal of marriage by spelling "OK" with Scrabble tiles when "yes" would be more appropriate and gain her more points.
While The Wedding Planner comes uncomfortably close to a Barbie-doll fantasy, the movie has its moments. These moments are enough to make it worth a look. It's there to entertain, not give you the meaning of life. Personally, I think it achieved its objective.