July 9, 1999

A Look at... My Best Friend’s Wedding - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

In the summer of 1997, Julia Roberts, who’s last films included the nearly dead I Love Trouble and excruciatingly painful Mary Reily, returned to film attention with the romantic comedy, My Best Friend’s Wedding. Starring Roberts as Juliana, a harried food critic, Dermot Mulroney as the best friend, Rupert Everett as the gay best friend, and Cameron Diaz as the antagonist to Juliana’s happiness. 8 years prior to this Mulroney’s Michael and Juliana make a pact that, by the time they’re 30 and aren’t married, they’ll marry each other. The film starts and she gets a call from him and bingo, it’s 8 years later. Will he marry her or is he marrying someone else? The correct question is the later, Michael phones Juliana to inform her that he’s marrying spoiled perfect rich girl Kimmy and he wants her to come and be her bridesmaid.

She realizes she actually loves him and doesn’t just want to be the best friend, but something deeper. She heads to Chicago to break up the happy union, and off with the romantic comedy plot that made the film a hit in the summer of 1997. Rupert Everett has a show stopping turn with his interpretation of the classic Bacharach/David tune, I Say A Little Prayer. That scene along with the renditions in Austin Powers, gave rise to an amazing revival of the Bacharach kitsch that was the groove of an era long ago. It is a charming picture, Roberts is at her best and the cast gives rise to a delightful film. The humor doesn’t need lowbrow antics to make viewers laugh and manages to stay tasteful in the crap-fest of 90’s movies.

My Best Friend’s Wedding, was the spark that re-lit the career of Julia Roberts. Soon after this she was filming the Susan Sarandon teardropper, Stepmom, went on to do Notting Hill and the release of Runaway Bride later this month, her reunion with Pretty Woman CO-star Richard Gere. My Best Friend’s Wedding is a riot and deserves another look, because of its timeless pleasantry and remarkable acting.

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