My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

When a woman's long-time friend says he's engaged, she realizes she loves him herself... and sets out to get him, with only days before the wedding.

Director:

P.J. Hogan

Writer:

Ronald Bass

Stars:

Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 11 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julia Roberts	...	Julianne Potter
Dermot Mulroney	...	Michael O'Neal
Cameron Diaz	...	Kimberly Wallace
Rupert Everett	...	George Downes
Philip Bosco	...	Walter Wallace
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Joe O'Neal
Rachel Griffiths	...	Samantha Newhouse
Carrie Preston	...	Mandy Newhouse
Susan Sullivan	...	Isabelle Wallace
Christopher Masterson	...	Scotty O'Neal (as Chris Masterson)
Raci Alexander	...	Title Sequence Performer #1
Jennifer Garrett	...	Title Sequence Performer #2
Kelleia Sheerin	...	Title Sequence Performer #3 (as Kelly Sheerin)
Bree Turner	...	Title Sequence Performer #4
Cassie Creasy	...	Flower Girl

Storyline

A woman who, by a promise made years earlier, is supposed to marry her best friend in three weeks, even though she doesn't want to. When she finds out that he's marrying someone else, she becomes jealous and tries to break off the wedding.

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Plot Keywords:

love | wedding | promise | comiskey park | urban setting | 

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Taglines:

It's about finding the love of your life. And deciding what to do about it.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 on appeal for one use of strong language and brief sex-related humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Italian

Release Date:

20 June 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

La boda de mi mejor amigo

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$46,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

DEM 4,930,331 (Germany) (5 December 1997)

Gross:

DEM 37,081,010 (Germany) (30 January 1998)

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Zucker Brothers Productions, Predawn Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sarah Jessica Parker was originally offered the role of Julianne Potter, but she was not able to take the role because she was committed to HBO in order to play Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City.

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Goofs

Julianne's hair in the gazebo.

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Quotes

George Downes: [George is about to be introduced to Kimmy's family] Oh my god, race you to the altar!
Julianne Potter: [under her breath] Underplay.
George Downes: Got it.
[to a relative]
George Downes: HEY! I'm Jules' fiance, George! Just stopped by for a little preconjugal visit if you catch my drift!

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Connections

Referenced in Whitney: Faking It (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Louie Louie"
Written by Richard Berry

User Reviews

One of the best comedies of the 90s..

I can't believe some of the negative comments I read from other contributors reviewing this movie.

I own this movie on video and have seen it many times and have enjoyed it each and every time. I think this is easily one of the best comedies to come out of the 90s and I actually place it on my personal best films ever list.

I can't see what people don't like about this movie.

First of all, these people who question how can they like a movie where the main character is so rotten just cracks me up. First of all, it's a movie people, it's not real life. Second of all, Julia Roberts' character is not a rotten person. Her character simply gets wrapped up in the moment and loses her judgment momentarily (it's a COMEDY people!!).

Near the end of the movie her best friend played by Rupert Everett even asks her if she's sure she's acting out of love or out of some desire to win. I think the movie clearly shows that Julia's character and her long time friend and one time boyfriend played by Dermot Mulroney have had a long and deep friendship and that there are certainly strong feeling between the two. The fact that they made a pact years ago that if both were unmarried by the time they turned 28 they would marry each other underscores this. The movie plays itself out that Julia's character has basically always re-assured herself that if she weren't to find some knight in shining armor she would always have her old boyfriend who she does love (just not in a romantic way anymore, though she takes the length of the movie to realize this) to marry.

The movie is extremely well directed. The blocking (where the actors stand in relation to the camera) and what is shown/revealed either to the audience or to other characters is top notch.

The pacing is great with hardly a slowdown in the entire movie. Those times the movie does lessen the pace for a moment are to showcase a tender moment between Julia & Dermot. A particularly bittersweet scene is when Julia & Dermot share an afternoon taking a cruise through Chicago's downtown river. They share a song, a hug and look into each other's eyes and we as the audience wait to see if they profess their true love for each other, but the moment passes as they pass under a bridge and into the shadows and we realize that moments are fleeting and love can be fickle.

The music is awesome in the movie with so much of it throughout the movie that the movie almost plays like a mini musical with various songs being sung in parts by characters throughout the movie.

Rupert Everett is hysterical as the gay male friend and Dermot Mulroney is totally underrated in his thankless role as the put-upon groom.

Cameron Diaz gives one of her best performances as the cute as a button bride.

This is an outstanding example of what a mainstream, big Hollywood studio movie can be.

Buy this movie. You'll enjoy it over and over for many years to come.