Movie Club: My Best Friend’s Wedding

Apr
2009

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The fastest way I can describe the plot of Goddess of the Hunt (the first half of it, anyway) is like so: Think My Best Friend’s Wedding, set in the Regency–except replace witty, charming, gay Rupert Everett with a brooding, intense, most definitely straight earl.

If you’ve never seen this movie (and you should!), Julia Roberts’ character, Julianne, learns that her best friend of several years, Michael (played by Dermott Mulroney) is getting married. Julianne is the low-maintenance, wisecracking, hang-with-the-guys type, and Michael’s new fiance is a young, gorgeous, nauseatingly perfect blonde (played by Cameron Diaz). And since Julianne’s been in love with Michael since…oh, forever…she decides to break up the wedding and get him back. Hijinks ensue. Oh man, do they ever ensue. To get her man, Julianne is willing to resort to tactics both ruthless and ridiculous, and her reluctant partner-in-crime, George (played by Rupert Everett), becomes more of a hindrance than a help, as he begins to play the voice of reason, insisting that Julianne wake up and realize it’s just not meant to be.

Aside from the setup, the daring heroine, and the elements of screwball comedy, Goddess shares another quality in common with this film: the “Other Woman” you want to hate…but just can’t. In Goddess, heroine Lucy’s rival is Sophia Hathaway–a young, gorgeous, nauseatingly perfect blonde. And despite all Lucy’s best attempts to despise her, she just can’t do it. In fact, true disaster strikes. They become friends.

The other reason I love this movie: Best scene ever!

Elyssa Papa
Comment

· April 7th, 2009 at 7:21 pm · Link

I love this movie, too! That scene is such a classic; it cracks me up every single time. I think what made that movie so enjoyable for me was that there were so many unexpected twists (like the fiancee being such a sweetheart that Julia Roberts’ character couldn’t hate her even though she really wanted to) and the dialogue was just fabulous.

Evangeline
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· April 8th, 2009 at 4:45 am · Link

How funny, I was just over at IMDB discussing how MBFW was an anti-romantic comedy and turned genre conventions on the head (Kimmie would have been the main character and Julianne the “other woman”). But it’s enjoyable nonetheless as a movie about realizing that wanting something doesn’t mean you deserve to have it and learning to be happy with and by yourself.

Sarah Tormey
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· April 8th, 2009 at 5:52 am · Link

This clip brightened my day, thanks Tessa! And what a great inspiration for your GOTH! Although I must say, my favorite modern day romantic comedy is The Wedding Date (although it has a far more tradition plot.)

Tessa
Comment

· April 8th, 2009 at 7:40 am · Link

I’m so glad someone else shares my love of this movie! Though it is rather the anti-romcom, as Evangeline states. Obviously the heroine in GOTH gets her HEA with the right guy for her, once she gives up pursuing the wrong one.

terrio
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· April 9th, 2009 at 9:13 am · Link

I do love this movie and the fact that Rupert Everett is so obviously gay and yet can make me sigh is saying something. LOL!

I also think this is one of the rare occasions where Cameron Diaz doesn’t play Cameron Diaz. Every character she plays always feels the same to me, except this one.

I think there is a happy ending as everyone ends up with the right person. A prime example of going with what works for the story, not what goes against it.

Can’t wait to get my hands on this book!