The Accidental Husband

Directed by Griffin Dunne, The Accidental Husband details the complications that ensue after a talk-radio host (Uma Thurman’s Emma) offers relationship-ending advice to a woman (Justina Machado’s Sofia) engaged to a hunky fireman (Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Patrick). Filmmaker Dunne, armed with a script by Mimi Hare, Clare Naylor, and Bonnie Sikowitz, delivers a predominantly watchable romcom that benefits from its brisk running time and plethora of affable performances, as, in terms of the latter, the picture’s decidedly less-than-fresh narrative is, for the most part, allayed by the charismatic work of stars Thurman, Morgan, and Colin Firth. It’s clear, too, that the decent-enough atmosphere is heightened by the inclusion of a few standout sequences, with this particularly true of a laugh-out-loud moment wherein Patrick is forced to assume the identity of Emma’s British fiancé, and while it admittedly does possess its share of lulls, The Accidental Husband builds towards a satisfying climax that confirms its place as a passable (yet thoroughly forgettable) romantic comedy.

**1/2 out of ****