Le mariage de mon meilleur ami (1997)

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 12 wins & 24 nominations total

Rupert Everett salvages an otherwise dreadful movie

In his role as Julia Roberts' gay friend George, Rupert Everett effortlessly steals the show--he is urbane and witty, wise and caring, and of course uproariously funny and drop-dead gorgeous. In contrast, "leading man" Dermot Mulroney appears crass, callow, and utterly devoid of charm or magnetism. This movie, billed as a comedy, has an element of mystery at its core: Why on earth would two such winners as Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz fight for the affections of such a dolt?! If not for Rupert Everett's performance, this movie would have rated a "1" for me!

7mademoisherl

Julia Roberts works her magic for an unlikable female protagonist

P. J. Hogan was educating people in the 90s about what a walking red flag looks like all while supporting the LGBT community. Making an unlikeable protagonist is risky, especially with the female one, because we know how society will always jump out on women at every opportunity. Yet casting the ever-lovely Julia Roberts is perfect because not only she embodied the hopeless manipulative Julianne Potter, but people find it hard to piss on the real Julia Roberts. The plot may be full of 90s cinema logic, but watching a big-haired food critic dance with her gay fiance is not bad. George Downes is such a spirit animal.

sue.pilgrim

You'll either love this film or hate it!

This is one of my favourite films of all time. There are so many occasions that you'll either adore or squirm at, which is why it is a love/hate film.

Diaz doing karaoke is hilarious, an entire restaurant singing Say A Little Prayer is entirely unbelievable, but still one of my favourite bits.

Rupert Everett steals the show for me. Right from when he meets Diaz for the first time in the church, the restaurant scene, & then the ending at the wedding reception, he just makes me smile.

I admit that there are a few moments to cringe at, like the Roberts e-mail incident, but the good bits certainly out-weigh the bad.

Take the movie at face value - it's just entertainment!

kibler@adelphia.net

Julia Roberts was made for her role in 'My Best Friend's Wedding'

My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) Julia Robert, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, Rupert Everett, Philip Bosco, M. Emmet Walsh, Rachel Griffiths, Carrie Preston, D: P.J. Hogan.

Roberts is a New York food critic who's best friends with sports writer Mulroney, and when he tells her he's marrying a rich blonde spitfire (Diaz), the best friend tries sabotaging their nuptials. Funny and smart romantic comedy gives a custom-made role for Roberts whose smile and infectious cackle make her sweet, and Everett steals the show as her editor/gay friend.

Running Time: 105 minutes and rated PG-13 for brief strong language and sex-related humor.

RATINg: *** (out of ****)

5casamartinez01

A Frightening Comedy

It was difficult to root for Julia Roberts. It would have been like rooting for Joan Crawford in "Queen Bee" or Gene Tirney in "Leave Her To Heaven" She's a latent nasty piece of work. A woman, we're told, intelligent, successful, but her feelings are of the lowest most ignorant kind. I didn't believe it, sorry. Not believing spoiled the whole fun for me. I though the premise was tapping into the worst in us and that in a comedy is really frightening. I'm sure the director, producers etc didn't do it on purpose but they obviously didn't think the whole thing through. The success of the film is another frightening aspect. Frightening on two counts - or audiences are blind and unaffected by the potential evil here or I'm raving mad and I'm seeing things. Whatever the case, I saw it and it frightened me. Two major saving graces, maybe three. The cuteness of Cameron Diaz's performance, the beauty of Dermot Mulroney and a smashing Cary Grantish turn by Ruperet Everrett. Go at your own peril.

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Trivia
Julia Roberts hand-picked both Dermot Mulroney and Cameron Diaz for this film.

Goofs
In the restaurant scene, a waiter sits down to a piano to accompany the singing. While the piano is still playing, he is seen in the background waving his lobster arms.

Quotes
George Downes: The misery, the exquisite tragedy. The Susan Hayward of it all. I can just picture you there, sitting alone at your table in your lavender gown.
Julianne Potter: Did I tell you my gown was lavender?
George Downes: Hair swept up. Haven't touched your cake. Probably drumming your fingernails on the white linen tablecloth, the way you do when you're really feeling down. Perhaps looking at those nails thinking: 'God, I should have stopped in all my evil plotting to have that manicure, but it's too late now.
Julianne Potter: George, I didn't tell you my dress was lavender.
George Downes: Suddenly, a familiar song. And, you're off your chair in one, exquisite movement... wondering, searching, sniffing the wind like a dapple deer. Has God heard your little prayer? Will Cinderella dance again? And then, suddenly, the crowds part and there he is: sleek, stylish... radiant with charisma. Bizarrely, he's on the telephone. But then, so are you. And then he comes towards you... the moves of a jungle cat. Although you quite correctly sense that he is... gay... like most devastatingly handsome single men of his age are, you think... what the hell. Life goes on. Maybe there won't be marriage... maybe there won't be sex... but, by God, there'll be dancing.

Alternate versions
UK cinema version removes all profanity and inserts inoffensive replacements, most notably in the scene where Julianne explains tells Michael that George came from New York to f*** her.