My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

P.J. Hogan

Writer (WGA):

Ronald Bass (written by)

Release Date:

20 June 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Julianne fell in love with her best friend the day he decided to marry someone else.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Wedding | Promise | Rival | Screwball

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 11 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

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
Kelly Sheerin	...	Title Sequence Performer #3
Bree Turner	...	Title Sequence Performer #4
Cassie Creasy	...	Flower Girl
Lucina Paquet	...	Kimmy's Grandma
Aida Baggio	...	Old Woman #2
Shirley Kelly	...	Oldest Lady
George Bozonelos	...	Party Guest
Loretta Paoletti	...	Party Guest
Joseph Sikora	...	Stoner Guy #1
Shale Marks	...	Stoner Guy #2
Phillip Ingram	...	Wedding Singer
Rose Abdoo	...	Seamstress
JoBe Cerny	...	Tailor
Paul Giamatti	...	Richard the Bellman
Chef Charlie Trotter	...	Himself
Guillermo Tellez	...	Chef
Ned Schmidtke	...	Captain
Mark Swenson	...	Karaoke Singer
Mara Casey	...	Karaoke Girl
Tonray Ho	...	Karaoke Waitress
Michelle Hutchison	...	Drunken Trashy Girl
Robert Sutter	...	Crabhouse Pianist
Charlotte Zucker	...	Customer
Susan Breslau	...	Customer
Burton Zucker	...	Customer
Sharon Haight	...	Customer
Nydia Rodriguez Terracina	...	Walter's Secretary
Mike Bacarella	...	Office Janitor
Larry Santori	...	Conductor
Gene Janson	...	Sport Magazine Guy
Kevin Michael Doyle	...	Sport Magazine Guy
Scott Kuhagen	...	Werner
Sid Hillman	...	Dining Guest
Norman Merrill	...	Dining Guest
Renata Scott	...	Dining Guest
Anh Duong	...	Dining Guest
Harry Shearer	...	Jonathan P.F. Ritt, Poetry Reader
Jennifer McComb	...	Excited Woman
Mary-Pat Green	...	Angry Woman
Davenia McFadden	...	Angrier Woman
Jo Farkas	...	Loony Woman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephanie Burton	...	Karioke bar patron (uncredited)
Kathi Copeland	...	Singing Chef (uncredited)
Amy Danles	...	Intro Bridesmaid #2 (uncredited)
Patricia E. Harrington	...	Airport Traveller (uncredited)
Chris Lowe	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Molly Murphy	...	Train Conductor (uncredited)
Eric A. Pot	...	Florist (uncredited)
Chelcie Ross	...	Priest (uncredited)
Maridean Mansfield Shepard	...	Baseball fan in ladies' room (uncredited)
Anne Spradley-Montie	...	Angry Fan (uncredited)
Daisy Alexandra Sylbert-Torres	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Dominic Testa	...	Shopper (uncredited)
Ray Uhler	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Robert Velo	...	Taylor (uncredited)
Johnny White	...	Karaoke Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
P.J. Hogan

Writing credits (WGA)
Ronald Bass		(written by)

Produced by
Ronald Bass	....	producer
Patricia Cullen	....	associate producer
Bill Johnson	....	associate producer
Gil Netter	....	executive producer
Patricia Whitcher	....	executive producer
Jerry Zucker	....	producer

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
László Kovács		(director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)

Film Editing by
Garth Craven
Lisa Fruchtman

Casting by
David Rubin

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Art Direction by
Karen Fletcher Trujillo

Set Decoration by
William Kemper Wright
Andrea Mae Fenton		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Jeffrey Kurland

Makeup Department
Richard Dean	....	makeup designer: Julia Roberts
Deborah K. Dee	....	key hair stylist (as Deborah Dee)
Linda Melazzo	....	key makeup artist
Anne Morgan	....	head hair stylist (as Anne Michelle Morgan)
Lyndell Quiyou	....	hair designer: Julia Roberts
Bradley Stenson	....	additional makeup artist
Noriko Watanabe	....	head makeup artist
Teresa M. Austin	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Connie Kallos	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
James Lacey	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Lisa Rocco	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Paddy Cullen	....	production supervisor
Patricia Whitcher	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eric Heffron	....	first assistant director (as Eric N. Heffron)
Richard S. Lederer	....	second second assistant director (as Richard Lederer)
Richard Oswald	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Pedro Barquin	....	greensman
David J. Chamerski	....	property assistant (as David Chamerski)
Daniel B. Clancy	....	lead man (as Daniel Clancy)
John 'Whitey' Crisman	....	construction foreman (as John Crisman)
Frank D. Dambra	....	head painter (as Frank Dambra)
William Dambra	....	property master
Aaron C. Holden Jr.	....	property assistant (as Aaron Holden Jr.)
Roger Irvin	....	construction coordinator
Quentin Matthys	....	lead man
Kurt Sharp	....	set designer
Glenn Stevens	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Betancourt	....	foley mixer
Thom Brennan	....	sound editor
Duncan Burns	....	sound editor
Richard Burton	....	sound editor
Ali Derakhshan	....	assistant sound editor
Dawn Fintor	....	foley artist
Alison Fisher	....	sound editor
Kimberly Harris	....	adr supervisor (as Kimberly Harris-Rivolier)
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Cliff Latimer	....	adr editor
Tricia Linklater	....	first assistant sound editor
Michael Magill	....	sound editor
Karen Minahan	....	assistant sound editor
John Morris	....	supervising sound editor
Ed Novick	....	sound mixer
Christopher O'Donnell	....	boom operator
Greg Orloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
Scott R. Thomson	....	utility cable (as Scott Thomson)
Scott A. Tinsley	....	sound editor (as Scot Tinsely)
David F. Van Slyke	....	foley supervisor (as David Van Slyke)
Gregory H. Watkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ian Morgan	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Hugo Weng	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Don Riozz McNichols	....	special effects foreman (as Don Rio McNichols)
Tom Ryba	....	special effects coordinator (as Thomas Ryba)
Dennis Petersen	....	special effects coordinator: additional footage (uncredited)

Stunts
Eddie J. Fernandez	....	stunts (as Ed Fernandez)
James Fierro	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunt coordinator (as Rick LeFevour)
Stacy Logan	....	stunts
Tom Lowell	....	stunts
Daniel Maldonado	....	stunts (as Dan Maldonado)
Carl Paoli	....	stunt double: Dermot Mulroney
Linda Perlin	....	stunts
Kay Whipple	....	stunts
Jeff Williams	....	stunts
Brian Christensen	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richmond L. Aguilar	....	chief lighting technician (as Richmond Aguilar)
Kevin Boyd	....	video assistant
Fernando M. Briones	....	dolly grip (as Fernando Briones)
Paul Caven	....	chief rigging electric
Gerrit Dangremond	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Chris Freres	....	best boy grip
John Hudecek	....	best boy electric
George Kohut	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Morgan Michael Lewis	....	key grip
Neal Norton	....	camera operator
Dennis Seawright	....	first assistant camera
Steven Silverstein	....	camera loader
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Dan Turek	....	second assistant camera (as Daniel Turek)
Steve Alessi	....	grip (uncredited)
Michelle M. Mann	....	camera remote technician (uncredited)
Joseph D. Urbanczyk	....	camera operator: re-shoots (uncredited)
Brian 'Wheat' Villegas	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Tracy Kaplan	....	casting assistant: Chicago
Ronna Kress	....	casting associate
Johnny White	....	extras casting coordinator
Regina Prokop	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Glaser	....	assistant costume designer (as John W. Glaser III)
Susan Kaufmann	....	wardrobe supervisor
Eileen McCahill	....	costumer
Gina Marie Ome	....	costumer
Shoshana Rubin	....	costumer (as Shoshanna Rubin)
Fran Vega-Buck	....	costumer: Ms. Roberts (as Frances Vega-Buck)
Heather Pollock	....	additional set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jeff Beattie	....	second assistant editor
Penny Lee Hallin	....	second assistant editor
Ruth Hasty	....	associate editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Gloria Kaiser	....	color timer
Derrick Mitchell	....	first assistant editor
Steve Kraus	....	editing systems technician: Chicago (uncredited)
John M. Vitale	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Eddie Arkin	....	music producer: pre-recorded music
Brent Brooks	....	assistant music editor
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Bonnie Greenberg	....	music supervisor
Artie Kane	....	conductor
Paul Salamunovich	....	master chorale: Los Angeles
Dennis S. Sands	....	music mixer (as Dennis Sands)
Dennis S. Sands	....	music recordist (as Dennis Sands)
Andrew Silver	....	music editor
Lisa Brown	....	music coordinator (uncredited)
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Gary Raymond	....	music playback (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Kevin Maxwell	....	transportation captain
Armand Paoletti	....	transportation coordinator
Joseph Paoletti	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Robin E. Agron	....	co-location manager (as Robin Agron)
Dana Armonda	....	production assistant
Todd Bachmann	....	production assistant
Wenden K. Baldwin	....	title designer
Toni Basil	....	opening titles choreography
Lisa Bonilla	....	assistant: Mr. Diaz
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist
Liz Wartenberg Brown	....	production coordinator (as Liz Brown)
Raymond Bulinski	....	craft service
Alison Cannon	....	production accountant
Dru Anne Carlson	....	script supervisor (as Druann Carlson)
Marybeth Connor	....	assistant: Mr. Mulroney
Melissa Crowe	....	assistant: Ms. Roberts (as Melissa Crow)
Marcie Friedman	....	co-location manager
David Gorder	....	production assistant
Sheila Hanahan	....	assistant: Mr. Netter
Don J. Hug	....	location manager
George Jewell	....	food stylist
Don H. Julien	....	production assistant (as Don Julien)
Fay Kladouris	....	assistant: Mr. Zucker
Susan B. Kreutz	....	craft service assistant (as Susan Kreutz)
Erika Lindberg	....	production secretary
Kathryn Madden	....	set medic
Liza Moore	....	assistant: Mr. Hogan
Margaret J. Orlando	....	assistant production coordinator (as Margaret Orlando)
Joshua Ornstein	....	assistant accountant
Eric A. Pot	....	production assistant
Ronsley	....	wedding decor and floral arrangements
Tony Savino	....	dance instructor
Nancy Seltzer	....	public relations
Melissa Silverman	....	production assistant
Judy Skelton	....	assistant: Mr. Bass
Mark Swenson	....	assistant: Ms. Whitcher
Basti Van Der Woude	....	production assistant (as Thomas Basti Van Der Woude)
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach: Cameron Diaz, Rachel Friffiths and Carrie Preston (uncredited)
Christine Altomari	....	production supervisor: main title sequence (uncredited)
Cristiana Caimmi	....	publicist (uncredited)
Richard Castro	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Ray Conchado	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jonas Cukierman	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Hugh W. Griffith III	....	location scout (uncredited)
Carol Hatchett	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Yashar Hedayat	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Scott Jager	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jeff Manimbo	....	production intern (uncredited)
Jeremy Mullen	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Laura Robb	....	stand-in: Julia Roberts (uncredited)
Joel Stopka	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Joe Amari	....	special thanks
Christine Cedusky	....	special thanks
Caroline Cortopassi	....	special thanks
Kim Donahue	....	special thanks
Tom Flanagan	....	special thanks
Barbara Hirschfeld	....	special thanks
John McCabe	....	special thanks
Rich Moskal	....	special thanks
Mark Peterson	....	special thanks
Joe Rose	....	special thanks
Jim Sachay	....	special thanks
Jennifer Shoevlin	....	special thanks
Ron VerKuilen	....	special thanks
Jeff Yehle	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• TriStar Pictures (presents)
• Zucker Brothers Productions (as A Jerry Zucker/Predawn Production)
• Predawn Productions (as A Jerry Zucker/Predawn Production)

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (1997) (worldwide) (all media)
• TriStar Pictures (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1997) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Italia (1997) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (1997) (Greece) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2000) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD) (collector's edition)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• LK-TEL (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Alterian (makeup effects)

Other Companies

• Accumen Video  24-frame playback
• Chicago Studio City  lighting and grip equipment
• Chicago Studio City  production services
• Chicago Studio MovieMakers  cast trailers
• Cinema Research  titles
• Deluxe Catering  catering
• Pioneer Entertainment (USA) L.P.  karaoke provided by
• Sessions Payroll Management  extras payroll services
• Sony Pictures Studio Sound Department  post-production facilities
• The Work Group  soundtrack
• Work Records  soundtrack

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | France:U | Philippines:PG-13 | South Korea:15 (original rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Finland:S | Germany:6 | Italy:T | Norway:A | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

The scene where everyone gathers in a large room to watch Kimmy throw the bouquet was filmed at Cuneo Museum and Gardens in Vernon Hills, Illinois. The movie crew removed the large carpet from the floor and stored it someplace - it took the museum staff several months to find it again.

Goofs:

Continuity: Jules is sitting on the floor and leaning her back against the door with a cigarette in her left hand. When Michael suddenly opens the door she falls backward and, in the next shot of her flat on the floor, the cigarette is in her right hand.

Quotes:

George Downes: When you kissed Michael did he kiss you back?
Julianne Potter: What do you mean? We were lip to lip.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "20 to 1: Girls on Film (#6.7)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

The Way You Look Tonight

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.