Today’s quick review: My Best Friend’s Wedding. Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts), a food critic who has never committed to a relationship, realizes she has made a huge mistake when Michael (Dermot Mulroney), her best friend of nine years, announces that he is getting married. Suddenly jealous, Julianne flies out to congratulate Michael, sabotage the wedding, and make sure that Michael chooses her over his fiance Kimmy (Cameron Diaz).
My Best Friend’s Wedding is a romantic comedy about a woman struggling with the realization that she’s in love with her best friend. The movie takes place over the course of one frantic weekend and Julianne stoops to lower and lower depths to undermine the wedding and get a second chance at Michael. My Best Friend’s Wedding offers an unusual take on the classic love triangle, making it an interesting watch for fans of the genre.
What makes My Best Friend’s Wedding is the character dynamics. Julianne has been taking Michael for granted, and the shock of losing him makes her try a series of desperate ploys to win him back. Kimmy is young and exuberant, but she has hidden depths that make her a difficult opponent. For his part, Michael has clear flaws but gets along well enough with both of the women to make a credible center of the movie.
The drawback to all of this is that My Best Friend’s Wedding does not have the same kind of payoff as other romantic comedies. The behavior of the characters can be childish, but the themes are mature, an examination of what qualities truly make for a lasting relationship. As such, viewers who are looking for triumphant gestures of love or an underdog heroine may be disappointed; the movie makes use of its setup in other ways.
How much you get out of My Best Friend’s Wedding will vary. Fans of romantic comedies will enjoy the space the movie plays in and the way Julianne wrestles with her unfamiliar feelings for Michael. But the situation is a little skewed compared to the typical setup, meaning that the movie does not have quite the same emotional or comedic impact. Give it a shot if you’re curious.
For a romantic comedy about the bride’s best friend trying to break up the wedding, try Made of Honor. For a romantic comedy with a similar perspective on love, try Four Weddings and a Funeral. For a romantic comedy about a woman who realizes she’s gone down the wrong path, try 13 Going on 30.
[6.3 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119738/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for interesting ideas handled well.