I can't understand why this film has not been greeted with close to raves from most of the critics; but then, it seems that lots of folks resent Ed Burns' career. He made one good film, Brothers McMullen, and then produced a series of half-baked follow ups. Plus, his good looks gave him an acting career that others must envy.

His good luck aside, Burns is back in top form with The Groomsmen, an insightful look at a group of boy/men tip toeing into middle age. His ear for the venacular, in this case Long Island/Bronx Irish, is just about perfect, he creates an inviting sense of time and place and his work with the actors is pitch perfect.

Ironically, the only weak performance in the film is Burns'. His good looking Irish poker face is not compelling enough to communicate his character's inner turmoil. Matt Dillon, could he have been afforded, would have nailed this role. That said, Burns contributes a basic sense of human decency that permeates the film; it's in his character and in his writing.

I loved the whole cast, but was particularly moved by Matthew Lilligard's portrayal of a "regular joe," a bar owner who dreams of his glory days as a garage band musician now that he is the father of two. His speech about his children, buzzed, standing on his porch in the middle of the night, is a WONDERFUL example of expressive acting and, for me, the highlight of the entire film.

Don't blow this one off if you feel you've been burned by Burns in the past (sorry about that). His ending is too pat, unworthy of some of the honest, painful material that has preceded it; but all in all The Groomsmen makes me look forward to his next film. Check this one out, probably will be great when it hits NETFLIX.

Paulie (Ed Burns) has been living with his girlfriend, Sue (Brittany Murphy) for three years. Now the lady is pregnant and they are about to walk down the aisle. For the ceremony, Paulie has asked his brother Jimbo (Donal Logue) to be best man. Jimbo, however, seems to be going through a personal crisis. His wife (Heather Burns) has reported a loss of communication, several job switches, and weight gain to her brother, TC (John Leguizamo) who has come to Long Island for the wedding. Also invited are local "best buds" cousin Mike (Jay Mohr) and Dez (Matthew Lillard),the only one of the group who has kids already. There are a number of problems for each man, not just Jimbo, although he argues with Paulie so much that his best man status is in jeopardy. TC has a big revelation while Mike can't seem to get over a broken relationship. Even Sue creates doubt as to the timing of the marriage, for she is a bit mad that the nursery isn't finished and, yes, that Paulie doesn't bring her flowers anymore. Will the wedding take place and the men stay friends? First, this will not be my favorite Ed Burns film but its head and shoulders above most of Hollywood fare. Its polished, complicated script has much to say about everyday life and how we endure. Then, too, what a dream cast, all doing fabulous work! As for the Long Island scenery, it is so beautiful the viewer is enchanted. Some parts are funny, as when Dez tries to get his sons to help carry the groceries by pretending to throw away their favorite cereal. Other parts are touching as most of these men have strong bonds with their aging fathers and their longtime friends. So, while I prefer Looking for Kitty and Sidewalks of New York, The Groomsmen is a fine choice for those who love quality cinema.

Writer-Director Edward Burns has groomed another creative & wily film in his latest marry, I mean merry, offering "The Groomsmen". Burns also stars as Paulie, a Long Island lifer who is having cold feet by getting the all too familiar "till death due you part" phobia on marrying his pregnant fiancé Sue, played by the chirpy Brittany Murphy. However, the primary premise of "The Groomsmen" is the groomsmen themselves. They are Paulie's lifelong crackers, I mean buddies, who each have a certain dilemma. Donald Logue plays Jimbo, Paulie's beer-quenching brother who is a strip bar dweller & ignores his devoted, but yet, growing impatient wife Julianna (Heather Burns). Next coming through the groomsmen aisle, we have Des (Mathew Lilliard),the dutiful husband & father who gets a candid excitement in getting his 80's high school cover band reunited which obviously are comprised of le groomsmen themselves. Also grooming through, we got the unripe Mike portrayed by Jay Mohr; Mike's childlike & obsessive antics get him in "not to be or like Mike" hot water turmoil with his ex-girlfriend and even with a few of the groomsmen. John Leguziamo plays T.C., which might stand for "too cool" by having a ripe aura about him, but it might also stand for "top covert" because he has been out of town & touch from his crazy clan for eight years due to a personal secret. The ensemble acting of "The Groomsmen" were lords of the auteur rings. However, the best acting men were Mohr & Leguziamo. Steady Eddie's crafty screenplay does ring similar bells in theme & structure to some of his past independent films. However, why should Burns cinematically divorce himself from his exceptional & practical scribing style. Burns once again proves that he masterfully incorporates friendship, family, guilt, Catholicism, Irish-upbringing, and New York homage to his film-work. "The Groomsmen" marches itself as one of the best films of 2006 . ***** Excellent