Runaway Bride (1999)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Garry Marshall

Writers (WGA):

Josann McGibbon (written by) &
Sara Parriott (written by)

Release Date:

30 July 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Catch her if you can.

Plot:

A reporter is assigned to write a story about a woman who has left a string of fiances at the altar.

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Wedding | Columnist | New York | Surprise After End Credits

Awards:

6 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Julia Roberts	...	Maggie Carpenter
Richard Gere	...	Ike Graham
Joan Cusack	...	Peggy Flemming
Hector Elizondo	...	Fisher
Rita Wilson	...	Ellie Graham
Paul Dooley	...	Walter Carpenter
Christopher Meloni	...	Coach Bob Kelly
Donal Logue	...	Priest Brian Norris
Reg Rogers	...	George 'Bug Guy' Swilling
Yul Vazquez	...	Dead Head Gill Chavez
Jane Morris	...	Mrs. Pressman
Lisa Roberts Gillan	...	Elaine from Manhattan
Kathleen Marshall	...	Cousin Cindy
Jean Schertler	...	Grandma
Tom Hines	...	Cory Flemming

MPAA:

Rated PG for language and some suggestive dialogue.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Denmark:A | Malaysia:U | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:o.Al. (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Iceland:L | New Zealand:PG | Norway:A | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG | Philippines:G

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The Sunday school scene included many of the cast- and crew-members' children and grandchildren.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ike comes into Curl Up And Dye for the first time, Maggie calls Peggy over and points to the counter at the article with Ike's picture (and the devil horns and pitch fork that has been added on). It is originally on taped on the counter, but in the next shot is taped onto the mirror.

Quotes:

Peggy: Well, there is one thing that brings warmth to my heart.
[pause]
Peggy: Duckbill platypus.
Maggie Carpenter: No... that's only funny at Camp Birchwood in the tent at three in the morning and it's raining and my leg is the pole! That's the only time that's funny.
Peggy: Let's just give it a try.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Undeclared: The Assistant (#1.5)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

And That's What Hurts

Tastes like leftovers

This could have been a great movie. It should have been a great movie. I wanted it to be a great movie. It was a pretty good movie, but it wasn't a great movie.

I know it's not a PRETTY WOMAN sequel, but with Garry Marshall directing Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Hector Elizondo, and Larry Miller, I couldn't help but expect at least some of the old magic. And RUNAWAY BRIDE starts with lots of promise. Good characters, interesting plot, actors I enjoyed watching. But after a while, every scene seems like little more than a setup for the next punch line. In any romantic comedy, especially in a Garry Marshall romantic comedy, and ESPECIALLY in a Garry Marshall romantic comedy starring Gere and Roberts, I know how I want it to end. And at a certain point, I don't want any more plot twists ands turns, I just want to see the ending I happily paid 8 bucks for. I'm willing to play the will-they-or-won't-they game for just so long. RUNAWAY BRIDE messes with that formula a bit too much, and it ended up frustrating me. And I had really enjoyed it up to that point. After a while, it seemed like the story was being prolonged just for the sake of prolonging it. It seemed forced.

I won't spoil anything, but I will say that I loved the movie up until the scene with the FedEx truck. Everything after the FedEx truck was unnecessary and frustrating. That last 15 minutes or so took an 8 out of 10 movie and made it much harder than it needed to be. Final vote: 6 out of 10.

Sequel or not, people will invariably compare it to PRETTY WOMAN. If Marshall had wanted RUNAWAY BRIDE to stand on its own, he could have cast different actors. (Kevin Costner or David Duchovny come to mind as the male, Jenna Elfman or Sandra Bullock opposite.) But instead, I left the theatre with the taste of leftovers in my mouth; I liked it better the first time around.