'The Romantics' a bland affair

Anna Paquin and Josh Duhamel are the mismatched couple at the center of what is a largely unlikable cast of characters, though Katie Holmes adds some much-needed fire to a lackluster film.If the idea of yet another wedding-gathering movie feels less than inspired, "The Romantics" won't do much to dispel that notion. This sour spin on "My Best Friend's Wedding" (crossed with a pale dose of "The Big Chill") proves unsatisfying not only because of its unlikable characters and often contrived conflicts but for the thoroughly implausible bride and groom at its core. Though the film takes great pains to pinpoint the supposed attraction between the tragically handsome Tom ( Josh Duhamel) and the rich, single-minded Lila ( Anna Paquin), it doesn't take a psychic to predict the fate of this mismatched pair. If ever there were a couple not to root for, it's this one, though that may be the point.