On paper, it sounds like a decent night out at the movies. In practice, sadly, it isn’t. It’s a collection of contrivances that fuel the film, certainly, but then that’s something that the romantic comedy genre has always thrived on. To complain about that would be churlish. What’s more surprising, and it’s a fairer criticism, is how it all fails to gel. The Decoy Bride isn’t a particularly long film, but as it goes along its amiable, predictable path, it does start to feel like a bit of a slog. Romantic comedies are supposed to be fun, and they’re supposed to have a decent quotient of romance. The Decoy Bride shortchanges you on both counts. The cast itself is a curious mix, too. Tennant is always watchable, and is, you’d think, a great choice for a romantic comedy lead. But his conflicted author, with the questions surrounding his most famous work, is something of a muddle. We don’t need a Hugh Grant clone, certainly, but, while engaging, Tennant doesn’t give the film the lift you might expect. Nor does Alice Eve, who is either off-screen for long periods, or hidden away. A pity, as she’s turned in performances in the past that have lifted films of this ilk, Starter For Ten being a good example. Credit, then, to Kelly MacDonald, who gives it everything she’s got as the decoy of the title. Hers is the best performance here, and is the one that gives the film the flickers of life that it ultimately has. Actually, make that her and Dylan Moran, the latter of whom turns up in a welcome cameo. The majority of the rest of the characters, sadly, really struggle to shine through. It’s a real achievement to get the film made in the first place, and consequently to get it to a cinema screen. But the end result doesn’t add up to a good night out at the movies, sadly. Follow Den Of Geek on Twitter right here. And be our Facebook chum here.