MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING
A film review by George McAdams
Copyright 1997 George McAdams
If you are a student of THE BIBLE, you know that every seven years or so a plague, famine, drought or other disaster is guaranteed to come along to break-up the monotony of early biblical bliss. While those who have watched from a distance the often winding career of Julia Roberts may have often wondered just when she was going to return from wandering through the wilderness, "My Best Friend's Wedding" is proof that she has the ability to act, if not the ability to choose the best vehicles for showing off her talents.
In this case, it is director P.J. Hogan, "Muriel's Wedding," who is delivering the message from the mount. As in "Muriel," he has chosen a focal point of many wandering soul's lives, a wedding, to cause the characters to examine whether their own happiness is dependent on another.
Let me make no false prophesy here, this is Julia Roberts' movie, and while other disaster turns in her career the past seven years could have been explained away on dubious personal choices, with this film she reminds us that she still is the actress that made the audience cry in "Steel Magnolias" and half of an audience dream of a Prince Charming in "Pretty Woman."
In "My Best Friend's Wedding, Julia, playing food critic Julianne, hears from her best friend, an ex-lover played unremarkably by Demot Mulroney as Michael O'Neal, that he is getting married in four days and wants her at his wedding. Complicating this simple story line is Julianne's realization that she has grown to love Michael over the nine years since they broke-up.
While the choice of Mulroney as Robert's love interest may cause several movie viewers to scratch their heads, he neither makes, nor does he break, the movie, as he underplays his role. But, isn't that the point of this movie? After all, it's Julia acting happy and delightful that will fill the theaters.
Further complications arise when Julianne meets his fiance, played by Cameron Diaz, and finds her to be sweet, lovely, open and honest: the four qualities that Julianne has decided to avoid as she tries to put a wedge between the happy couple. Not since the openhanded conniving attempts by Katherine Hepburn in "Bringing up Baby," has there been such welcomed chicanery.
Topping-off the performance by Ms. Roberts is the scene-stealing performance by Rupert Everett as George, her gay editor, who masquerades as Julianne's fianc. The Ronald Bass screenplay correctly adds George to the mix every so often, like a hot tea drinker who continues to dunk the tea bag in the hot water: you aren't quite sure if the tea is getting much out of your effort, but it sure looks darker, and everyone knows that darker tea is never weak.
"My Best Friend's Wedding" receives three stars as a welcome picture amidst all of the action grabbing super hero flicks out there. I would see it again and recommend it to everyone.
The Web site for this picture is rated 3 out of four, nothing fancy, and can be found at: http://www.spe.sony.com/Pictures/SonyMovies/features/bestfriend.html.
Additional insight into the background of the movie can be found at http://www.spe.cony.com/Pictures/SonyMovies/movies/Bestfriend/plannercontent s2.html.
Be Sure to Check-out Movies-in-the-Net at: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/7862
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