`The Bachelor' -- A Fair Catch by Homer Yen (c) 1999
With the 1999 movie year drawing to a close, you can expect the studios to start releasing a spate of films that will be vying for the Academy's attention. It's Oscar time, so expect films to be more innovative in presentation and weightier in storytelling. But if you're not in search of an Oscar contender, and instead would be content with a lightweight, romantic comedy for a Saturday night, then I would like to marginally recommend `The Bachelor,' a saccharine film where the cutest of couples inevitably find their way into each other's arms.
The couple in question is Jimmie (Chris O'Donnell) and Anne (Renee Zellweger). And according to Jimmie, guys have a strange way of looking at relationships. Men are like wild mustangs running wild through the plains. They stop for the occasional patch of lush grass, symbolic to how men date different women. Once the mustangs are done, they move on. So, it's puzzling to him that he's been going steady with Anne for almost three years. What scares him even more is that all of his friends are also getting married. He is the only bachelor left among his circle of friends. He is the only wild mustang that still roams free. Now, it's just a matter of time. Soon, he'll have to pop the question. However, it is clear that Jimmie isn't ready for marriage. His gives Anne the most awkward and wretched proposal that anyone has ever given. Indeed, his words aren't a proposal but rather a declaration of surrender. This doesn't make Anne very happy. She declines, though Jimmie somehow feels relieved.
Soon after, Jimmie learns that his persnickety uncle (Peter Ustinov) has passed away and has bequeathed to him a $100 million fortune. The only catch is that he must marry before he turns 30, which literally gives him 24 hours to tie the knot. His desire to wed quickly does not stem from the lost inheritance; rather, the provisions of the will would force him to sell the family business and put hundreds of people out of work. With Anne out of the question, Jimmie searches out his old girlfriends with the $100 million proposal. One of his odder second-tier choices was the deranged-looking Buckley (played by Brooke Shields). As she grudgingly begins to take her vows, she keeps repeating `100 million dollars' to herself to convince herself to go forward. But she becomes more rattled when she soon discovers that she'll have to stay wed for 10 long years and even more shaken when she learns that she must give birth to one child. She quickly bolts and the search continues. This includes a front-page article in a newspaper, which leads to a very funny but sweet finale. Despite his need to wed quickly, he still wishes that he could marry Anne. But until he can internalize commitment, that will never happen.
I am marginally recommending this film for two reasons. I enjoyed the final 10 minutes of the film when 1,000 hopeful brides (and a few drag queens) chase Jimmie through the streets of San Francisco. But primarily, it was because I liked Jimmie and Anne. Renee Zellweger is adorable and her smile can brighten the darkest day. Chris O'Donnell is also affable. They both exude energy, and it is their combined charm that allows this movie to stay afloat. `The Bachelor' is somewhat engaging but never disappointing.
Grade: B-
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