My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

The great film critic Robin Wood once wrote that, although generally well-received, the romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) hadn't received the acclaim and recognition it deserved: he said that it was "perfectly written, perfectly cast, perfectly acted, perfectly directed," and "continuously alive down to the smallest detail." He was absolutely right: it's quite arguably one of the greatest comedy films of all time. Wood's comparison of it to the great screwball comedies of the '30's is an apt one, and it's particularly similar to The Awful Truth (1937): like that film it's fast-paced, energetic, and very funny, but also has a sense of lightness and grace. Although it's very similar to the classic screwballs, its character dynamics are very different: there are four main leads rather than two, and thus rather than being about one relationship between two characters it's about a number of interconnected relationships between the four.

The film's two central characters are food critic Jules (Julia Roberts) and sportswriter Michael (Dermot Mulroney, Young Guns), who had a brief relationship in college and became best friends after they broke up. The two of them swore to marry each other if they hadn't found someone else by the time they were both 28, and with her 28th birthday coming up Jules anticipates hearing that the day has finally come when she gets a call from him. However, it actually turns out that he was calling to tell her that he's about to marry architecture student Kim (Cameron Diaz), the daughter of a wealthy businessman. Suddenly overcome with feelings of jealousy, Jules conspires to drive a wedge between Michael and Kim before the wedding day comes. Her editor, friend, and confidant George (Rupert Everett) serves as the voice of reason and tries to talk her out of this.

My Best Friend's Wedding is different from most romantic comedies in that lingering feelings between two people who were once together is a strong aspect of it. It's clear that Jules and Michael have never gotten over each other, and Michael tacitly encourages Jules' obsession with him even after she reveals her plans to sabotage his wedding. (Indeed, there's a sad poignance in many of Jules and Michael's interactions that's quite rare in romantic comedies.) This line from Kim is telling: "From the day I met Michael, all I've heard is 'Julianne this' and 'Julliane that.'" In truth, Michael has greater chemistry with Jules than he does with Kim. In one scene Kim sits awkwardly while Michael and Jules converse enthusiastically, visibly uncomfortable with their chemistry together and keenly aware of the fact that she's the odd man out. Jules is ambivalent toward romance (as evidenced by a string of broken and short-lived relationships) and uncomfortable with affection, which were probably factors in her relationship with Michael floundering. Kim's greater willingness to display affection (she enthusiastically hugs Jules and George when she first meets them) was likely what attracted him to her as much as anything.

Jules and Michael both repeatedly refer to Kim as "perfect," but this is hardly the case. She's a perfectly lovely person: she's sweet, kind-hearted, and good-natured. However, because of her emotional vulnerability she seeks to avoid conflict and is unwilling to stand up and assert herself. She's too eager to give in to Michael when conflict arises with him, and allows he and Jules to pressure her into singing at a karaoke bar despite her reluctance to do so. Her confrontation with Jules after she sees her kissing Michael is the only time she asserts herself in the entire film. She's also naive and overly trusting: she tells Jules that she trusted her because Michael did. One of her good aspects is that she's easily forgiving, but given the circumstances she's quite arguably a bit too forgiving.

Despite Michael and Kim's love for each other there's good reason to doubt their comparability in a number of areas- personality and temperament, conflicting life goals. Despite the dinner party's refrain that "you'll never break up," the long-term future of the relationship is doubtful.

Although Kim is the most endearing character in the film, the best is quite arguably George. He's the most well-rounded and likeable character, and the one with the most common sense. His role is basically that of the gay friend, but he's not played at all as a stereotype. He's witty, urbane, charming, and intelligent- and without a hint of prissy effeminacy. (In fact, his is probably one of the most flattering depictions of a gay character in all of cinema.) He serves an advisory role for Jules (underlined by the fact that he's her editor), and he's the voice of reason and moral clarity for her, urging her to act sensibly and do the right thing. He also encourages her to be honest with Michael rather than underhanded and conniving. When Jules tries to rope him into her schemes he goes against her (like making it look like she likes Kim more than she actually does). When Kim sees Jules kissing Michael he chases after her when she runs off, and Jules chases after him in a bagel truck. When she calls George he asks her a pointed question: "Who's chasing you?"

The film is unconventional for a romantic comedy in that it doesn't end with the main character winning over the object of her desire. It instead subverts this trope, with Jules relenting and allowing Michael and Kim's wedding to go through as planned. The film instead ends with an unconventional coupling between Jules and George, one that's affectionate yet platonic, and doesn't compromise George's fundamental gayness. (This is an entirely natural course for the film to take: Jules has as much chemistry with George as she does with Michael, if not more.) Indeed, this relationship promises much greater comparability and more long-term stability than Michael's marriage to Kim.

A big part of the reason the film works so well is because of how great, likeable, and fleshed-out the four main characters are. In turn the great performances of the four leads are a big reason why the characters work so well: they bring their characters to life, and say a lot about them with subtle body language. (A lot about the characters can be inferred by reading between the lines while watching the actors' performances.)

The best performance is probably that of Cameron Diaz as Kim. Hers is the performance most similar to the classic screwball heroines like Katharine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby (1938): she's fun and funny, and shows herself to be a very talented comedienne. She's appealingly quirky, as well as bouncy and excited, and brings a sense of madcap energy to many of her scenes. One of the funniest aspects of her character is her fast, reckless driving: she makes those riding with her nervous, and in one scene a few people have to leap out of her way to keep from being run over.

She portrays Kim's sweetness very well, as well as the sense of vulnerability that makes her so endearing. One of her best scenes (and one of the best of the entire film) is the one where Kim's pressured into singing karaoke by Michael and Jules. Her off-key singing initially causes the audience to jeer ("You suck!," someone yells), but she eventually manages to win them over and get them caught up in her performance. One of the best aspects is the way Diaz's demeanor and body language change throughout the scene, going from nervous and awkward to enthusiastic and joyous.

Julia Roberts' performance as Jules is great as well. She's not just funny but sheds light on her character's inner emotional workings- her crushed reaction when Michael tells her that he's going to marry Kim, and her hurt response when he decides to call the wedding back on after a rift between he and Kim. During the final quarter she becomes needy and desperate as she tries in vain to convince Michael to choose her over Kim. She has the challenge of making her character appear likeable and sympathetic when her underhanded plotting against Kim could easily make her come across as a mean-spirited bully, and meets it very well. Jules retains the audience's sympathy because of the way Roberts plays her: her love for Michael is sincere, and at her core what she wants is to be with the person she loves the most and who makes her the happiest.

Rupert Everett's turn as George is one of the best performances of the film: he effectively projects his character's suave charm, and is very likeable and charismatic. He also has many of the best lines of the film. (I particularly like this gem: "It's amazing the clarity that comes with psychotic jealousy.")

P.J. Hogan's direction is fantastic: it's lively and energetic and also has a sense of grace, and his direction of the four main leads is superb. Also great is the script by Ronald Bass: it's well-constructed, has great characterizations and character dynamics, is clever and funny, and has a lot of great lines. (A highlight is when Kim insults Jules as a "two-faced, big-haired food critic.") It's very similar to that of Hogan's earlier romantic comedy Muriel's Wedding (1994), and shares the same basic plot structure. In addition to great direction, writing, and acting, the film also looks great thanks to cinematographer Laszlo Kovas, who also photographed Easy Rider (1969) and Paper Moon (1973); he's aided in this by production designer Richard Sylbert (The Graduate, Rosemary's Baby).

One of the comic highlights of the film (similar to the karaoke bar scene) is the scene where George leads a pre-wedding dinner party in an impromptu rendition of Burt Bacharach's "I Say a Little Prayer," and gets everyone in the restaurant to begin singing and clapping. It's one of the most infectiously fun and energetic moments in the entire film, and the way Hogan gets the actors and extras caught up in an ensemble performance is fantastic. As with the conversation between Jules and Michael in the karaoke bar, who doesn't get caught up in it says a lot: the only two people who are silent and visibly uncomfortable are Jules and Michael.

Hogan stages a great musical number during the credits with a group of actresses singing and dancing to another Burt Bacharach song, "Wishin' and Hopin'" (whose lyrics foreshadow the conflict of the film): the performances and choreography are excellent, and the number has an infectiously fun energy. Another element I liked was the screwball-esque running gag involving Jules repeatedly falling down and collapsing.