Runaway Bride

Comedy, Romance

Garry Marshall
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
Reg Rogers	George Bug Guy
Yul Vazquez	Dead Head Gill
Yul Vasquez	Dead Head Gill

Director	Garry Marshall
Producer	Ted Field; Scott Kroopf
Writer	Josann McGibbon; Sara Parriott

It took nearly a decade to find a mutually agreeable screenplay, but the stars and director of Pretty Woman finally reunited to make Runaway Bride, wisely avoiding any attempt to recapture the 1990 film's elusive magic. The result is a perfectly pleasant romantic comedy that would've fared better critically (despite boffo box office) if it hadn't been overshadowed by its blockbuster predecessor. It is certainly a more credible film than Pretty Woman, trading a far-fetched fairy tale (hooker hooks up with tycoon? bah!) for a more amiably conventional plot about big-city reporter Ike Graham (Richard Gere) who falls for a small-town handywoman Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) with a nasty habit of fleeing from the altar in a recurring state of premarital panic. Both characters are instantly likeable, and the smooth dialogue by Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott only occasionally panders to sitcom cuteness. And despite his routine sacrifice of subtle craft for commercial appeal, director Garry Marshall knows when to trust his stars and material, lending this movie a casual charm (aided by a terrific supporting cast) that never feels forced or artificial. The whole thing's utterly predictable, riding on the suspenseless question of whether Maggie will dump her sports-nut fiancé (Christopher Meloni) and tie the knot with Ike. It's a foregone conclusion after the usual games of romantic cat and mouse, but the chemistry between Roberts and Gere is undeniable, and with a decade's worth of additional stardom between them, they shine as brightly as ever. --Jeff Shannon