Runaway Bride *** (1999, Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Joan Cusack, Hector Elizondo, Rita Wilson, Paul Dooley) – Classic Movie Review 878

‘A girl can’t get married in flannel!’ – Maggie Carpenter.

The stars of the 1990 hit Pretty Woman are reunited for this equally quirky but less enjoyable romantic comedy. A decade on in 1999, this reunion with their director, Garry Marshall, proved another runaway box-office success. Time may have aged Richard Gere and blunted Marshall’s barbed sense of humour, but this is still a slick and amusing enough slice of escapist fun.

Gere gives a charming performance as Ike Graham, a down-and-out New York columnist, who learns about Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts), a small-town woman renowned for loving a succession of bridegrooms and leaving ’em at the altar. The curmudgeonly Gere writes a crusty story about her but immediately changes gear when he meets the pretty woman, and very soon she’s leaving him at the altar, too.

Roberts looks lovely and milks her share of the laughs as her hate for Gere turns to love in the age-old Hollywood way. Pleasant but overlong (it’s an unfocused 116 minutes) and not always too sparkling, it still has its moderately entertaining and funny moments. But doesn’t it go on?

Still, the stars manage to shine in this patchy, but happy vehicle that makes for jolly viewing, even if Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott’s screenplay isn’t up to the high, vintage Pretty Woman standard. It was a big hit, taking over $150million in America.

Joan Cusack, Hector Elizondo, Rita Wilson, Paul Dooley, Christopher Meloni, Donal Logue, Reg Rogers, Jane Morris, Lisa Roberts, Tom Mason, Laurie Metcalf, Larry Miller, Kathleen Marshall and director Garry Marshall all put in useful appearances.

http://derekwinnert.com/pretty-woman-%C2%BD-1990-richard-gere-julia-roberts-ralph-bellamy-jason-alexander-classic-movie-review-2012/

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Film Review 878 derekwinnert.com