Runaway Bride

Name: Runaway Bride
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: July 30, 1999
Duration: 116 min
Rating: 39
Cast: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere

1999

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 65 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 65 Ratings

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Runaway Bride

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: July 30, 1999 | PG

Starring: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere

Summary: In a last-ditch effort to save his tarnished career, a big-city reporter (Gere) chases a scoop about a mercurial, small-town girl (Roberts) known as the Runaway Bride due to her habit of leaving her grooms-to-be at the altar.

Director: Garry Marshall

Genre(s): Comedy, Romance

Rating: PG

Runtime: 116 min

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Critic Reviews

Todd McCarthy

The central idea is quite clever and appealing, and that the charm meter is turned up all the way. Read full review

William Arnold

But the movie's vital signs improve remarkably in the second half, and especially in the last act. The proceedings suddenly pick up some screwball charm, the writing improves (with several truly inspired one-liners tossed in here and there) and the secondary characters begin to click. Read full review

David Denby

Poky but often charming. Read full review

James Berardinelli

A clumsy motion picture that strives so hard for the perfect romantic ending that it triggers a gag reflex along the way. Read full review

Film.com John Hartl

It doesn't generate enough laughs to make up for the fact that you never figure out what he (a misogynistic USA Today columnist played by Richard Gere) sees in her (a dizzy small-town hairdresser played by Roberts). Or, for that matter, what she could ever see in him.

Ron Wells

I completely dreaded sitting through this movie...Two-hour purgatory. Read full review

Film.com Ernest Hardy

Atrocious bit of by-the-numbers screen filler. And anyone who easily lapses into sugar comas is advised to stay far, far away.

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User Reviews

MatanC.

Sep 25, 2007

If it's a comedy, it's not funny. If it's a drama, it's not dramatic. If it's a romance, it's not romantic. The only excuse for this film was getting Julia Roberts and Richard Gere on the same movie, and if you could throw in some of their Pretty Woman If it's a comedy, it's not funny. If it's a drama, it's not dramatic. If it's a romance, it's not romantic. The only excuse for this film was getting Julia Roberts and Richard Gere on the same movie, and if you could throw in some of their Pretty Woman sidekicks, well, the more the merrier. But it's not all exploitation: some smart lines, good acting, and a mostly original storyline saves it from the depths of a complete failure. And by the name of god, that dress was UGLY!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

amheretojudge

Sep 12, 2019

Even when they slow dance after being with the audience for a while, I didn't see any spark.

Runaway Bride The director Gary Marshall, I think, didn't see this coming. And I know no one presumes the film to perform bad. But there is a certain level of expectations, a ballpark figure, aEven when they slow dance after being with the audience for a while, I didn't see any spark.

Runaway Bride

The director Gary Marshall, I think, didn't see this coming. And I know no one presumes the film to perform bad. But there is a certain level of expectations, a ballpark figure, a certain range that it would cover. This is a total disaster. And to be honest I can see what could be the birth of this idiosyncratic idea that it plants so proudly in this farm. But as I have always said an idea isn't everything. At least we can agree in this show business by now is that no idea is stupid. The depiction of a smart idea done poorly comes off stupid.

And no matter how stupid an idea, if executed carefully, we have seen such films turn classic instantly, take MASH for example- the Donald Sutherland one. But if a stupid idea is project stupidly, it's a stupid film, in capitals; just as stupid as using this word these many times. Still I'd like to defend the film. And you can only do it with Julia Roberts, its finest asset colored totally lazy in the film. The film's actual odd and even contradicting nature comes because of her character and still there is a lot to explore there.

That is of course, not to say that the storyline in any manner justifies the decisions of the film. But for a brief period, her character shows us something profoundly mirroring to what our society whips us with religiously. And when that note, which is either rushed on questionably or the makers were not aware of the magnitude of its brilliance, hits the screen there is a comforting realization and surprise in our face that a film of this genre usually does not offer us. Runaway Bride is still a forgettable date movie, I mean I can't even promisingly say that there is some chemistry.… Expand

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