THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!! I have a guilty secret. When I start to watch a movie that I've taped on my DVR I usually come to IMDb and read some of the reviews just to get a sense of where it's going before I give up my time. I know, terrible, but there you have it.

So I read some of the reviews here and though uh-oh, I might as well work while I watch this one, which I did but not very successfully. As in I didn't get much work done because I was completely entertained by this movie. I know we've seen all kinds of wedding movies with similar plots. But if you really think about it there are only 5-6 plots in movies anyway (if you take out the specific details). So I'm fine with watching similar plots over and over, because there really is no choice on that anyway.

I thought the storyline was great. I read another person say that the characters were all unlikable, but I disagree. I thought that it was a story about a very immature 23 year old who had a fling with an older woman and is handling it like a 23 year old. His insecurities made him act a certain way, but I had empathy for the pain he was really feeling and and the sincerity in his feels of love towards this woman. He was the kind of person who has the gift of gab and which led him to throw phony compliments to his friend while he manipulates and uses him. But that didn't take away from what I saw as real caring for his friend, Marshall. In fact I'm sure Marshall really appreciated the attention he got from Sam as he had his own issues which made him appear as someone who doesn't get out much.

I also appreciated the fact that this wasn't the predictable boy loves girl, boy tries to break up impending marriage and boy succeeds.

I read someone else complain that Zoe was marrying an *hole who you knew was an *hole from the start. I didn't see it that way at all. I thought the finance Whit was 'who he was', but really loved and cared for Zoe. He even allowed this 'fling' to be a pen pal of Zoes and when he shows up at the wedding there was no hissy fits, because he loves Zoe so much. Yes he was a bit self absorbed but so are many successful people.

I thought the emotions that Zoe felt for Sam were very real and appropriate for what their situation really was and her reluctance to hurt him was well written. I didn't take it that she didn't love Whit or was marrying for the wrong reasons. Her relationship with Sam was this slice of life thing for her and she was happy moving forward in her life, but for Sam it was so much more. At the end you could see that Sam (and Marshall for that matter) grew up a little bit more. Isn't that true for your one big heartbreak? It sends you to the next phase of your life, and that's what I felt for both boys at the end. New phase. Growing up, but not yet grown up. Ah, to be young and that crazy in love again!

I will say that "Ceremony" is not actually the average romantic comedy, and that was one of the brighter moments of the movie. That being said, then "Ceremony" was a rather uneventful and somewhat pointless movie.

The story was almost too simplistic and offered no laughs along the way. And this was ultimately the tripping point of the movie. It took director Max Winkler one hour and twenty-six minutes to get from A to B, and managed to almost tell nothing along the way.

It should be said that the people on the cast list were doing good jobs with their given roles, and there were some good talents performing in the movie. It was actually Lee Pace who carried the movie with his performance, despite not having a leading role.

Should you happen to like romantic comedies, then there are far better choices of this genre available out there.

Sam (Michael Angarano) is going to take his friend Marshall (Reece Thompson) on an adventure. It starts with Sam referring to liking a book in his "younger and more vulnerable years." Sam used to think it was written about him; Marshall thinks it is written about him. And if you already know which book they are referring to, the characteristics of Sam and Marshall, and the adventure they are about to go on, instantly fall into place.

Marshall doesn't yet know, but Sam is chasing after a girl. You probably already knew that because after all, that's what Gatsby was doing too. And because "Ceremony" is a romantic comedy. The girl is Zoe (Uma Thurman) and she's about to marry Whit because he's rich and handsome. Sam, although just as immature, is likely a bit more well-read than Gatsby, and he makes some hilarious and shrewd remarks about Whit and Zoe, their relationship, and about the relationship he would like to have with Zoe.

"Ceremony" is not actually like "The Great Gatsby", but the simple parallels that you can make amongst all the characters, illustrates how anyone would be able to find something to connect to in Fitzgerald's classic. And then afterwards, you will be able to find an extra layer of meaning in "Ceremony".

This is a romantic comedy, or coming-of-age journey, that is delightfully funny, whimsically quirky, but with a real sense of character. It is written and directed by Max Winkler, son of the Fonz, and he shows a natural ability coupled with a strong sense of humour and intellect. What makes me confident that he will become a great writer is when his characters discuss the art of writing characters all the while being completely oblivious to their own flaws.

Michael Angarano shows that he is becoming the star that he deserves to be (if this finds an audience) with his quick delivery of witty lines and his ability to sport a moustache and a burnt-orange suit throughout the entire movie without ever making a single joke feel tired. The younger Reese Thompson (playing the year-and-a-half older Marshall) seemed a bit out of his league, but then again he's playing a character who is a bit out of his league.

Although it takes place during a weekend wedding with a guy trying to win over a girl, it doesn't follow any standard romantic comedy trajectories. Marhsall observes those around him as he slowly matures, and Sam gets pretty much exactly what he deserves for his current level of maturity and understanding of human nature. "Ceremony" gives us that green light at the end of the dock to believe in, the orgastic future of filmmaking.