Weekend Watch: I'm Getting Married Sunday!

"My Best Friend’s Wedding" (1997)

Julianne (Julia Roberts) is a career woman who prides herself on her independence. However, when she hears the news that her best friend, an ex-flame who just so happens to be the one that got away, is getting married the next weekend she realizes she loves him and will do anything to win him back.

I decided to review this movie because like Michael (Dermot Mulroney) I will be getting married this weekend. However, if you want a movie that leaves you with feelings of happiness — look elsewhere.

The two main characters are completely self-serving in all aspects. Julianne wants Michael back at all costs, and is willing to sabotage not only his marriage, but his career in order to regain his affection. Michael, who is equally as frustrating, is obviously having an emotional affair with Julianne and even though he says he loves his fiancé his actions speak for themselves. George (Rupert Everett), Julianne’s outrageous gay friend, is the only likeable character within the film, but other than providing laughs, he is used too scarcely to make a true impact.

The horrible main characters did make me feel good about myself though, but only because I am nothing like them. The problem is that when you create characters for a movie you need your audience to either sympathize or empathize with them, and I simply did neither.  

The film is obviously moving its main characters toward some sort of realization, and change (as it should), but I found by the time it actually happened I didn’t care what happened to them. I wanted the film to be over just so that I could put on something else that would put me in a better mood.

Maybe I didn’t like it because I understand how much blood, sweat, and tears actually go into planning a wedding, and watching Julianne purposely try and ruin one hit too close to home. Or maybe it’s the fact that I understand that you have to put the feelings of your significant other first sometimes in order to make a relationship work, and watching such brazen selfishness grated on me. Either way I just didn’t like it.

"My Best Friend’s Wedding" is playing now on Comcast’s Streampix, but I would suggest spending your time on better wedding films such as the always funny "Wedding Crashers" or the heartwarming "Father of the Bride".

What are your favorite wedding movies? Comment below.