Runaway Bride Review
by Jeff Bogart (alienjeff AT aol DOT com)October 15th, 1999
Runaway Bride, The
Cast: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Hector Elizondo and Rita Wilson.
* *1/2 out of five
The Runaway Bride is one of those films that comes along that seems as if it too very little thought to come up with; and probably did. But somehow you still like the characters and the story itslef. Also you realize it's fault, which come in abundance as well. Overall this is a split decision (positive or negative review in general) and I am going to have to go towards a negative response.
In this movie Miss Roberts plys a women who seemingly looks at marriage as a contact sport. She leads those men up to the altar and then throws the final punch and runs off (hence the title). Once the big-time journalist (for USA Today) Ike Graham from the "big city" hears about this he writes a demeaning article for which he is fired. In order to redeem himself and perhaps get his job back he goes to the small hometown of Maggie Carpenter (Roberts) and promises to stay for her next wedding and write an article that is completely truthful. Maybe he'll even clear her name.
In this film, the cast of one of the greatest romantic comedies of the nineties (Pretty Women), comes back to a project that is also about love and how it isn't always perfect unless you're perfect for one another. Only this time the idea is not as fresh and interesting instead dull and easily predictable.
While the characters are easily relatable and we may laugh now and then at a cute or funny joke thrown in, sometimes those laughs are what I like to refer to as 'pity laughs'. Although I amhappy to say this film didn't call for all that many of those.
I will be the first to admit that I am an advid Julia Roberts fan. I even liked My Best Friends Wedding. And the question that is the most important to be asked by critics for this film is whether or not, in our opinion, Richard Gere and Roberts believably fell in love again in The Runaway Bride. Sadly, my reply is no.
But I cannot hoinestly blame that on the actors, I must shift the blame over to the writers. Who had a cute idea for this but did not get enough into the two lead characters and their deep personalities. There were a few scenes when we do get some information on this but not enough to convince me that these two characters, both with seperate and different mind sets, were in love with one another.
To wrap this up instead of rambling on, I just barely give a negative opinion on this. Because while it is cute and a movie that is great for a young couple... it leaves you wondering whether it could have been better. Whether it could have been more than it was. The acting helped the film and some of the clever punchlines along the way made for a clever experience. Because this could go either way, see it for yourself. C
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