Good concept, poorly executed.

Absolutely the worst movie.

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

RELEASED IN 1997 and directed by Andy Tennant, "Fools Rush In" is a romantic dramedy about a casual night of passion between a successful New Yorker (Matthew Perry) and a Mexican immigrant (Salma Hayek), but they learn that love is more than a Vegas marriage & an Elvis impersonator when dealing with conflicting families and traditions.This is a generally amusing "chick flick" focusing on Gringo/Latino relations, albeit formulaic. Some jokes fall flat, but they're well intended. Perry makes for a likable male protagonist while Salma Hayek is winsome in her physical prime; and Suzanne Snyder in secondary role is nothing to sneeze at. Meanwhile Jon Tenney appears as the protagonist's best friend. The Las Vegas area locations are picturesque.THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 49 minutes and was shot in Nevada/Arizona (Las Vegas, Henderson, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and Grand Canyon) and Rancho de las Golondrinas, New Mexico (standing in for central Mexico).GRADE: B-/C+

Thought I had watched this movie a while back, but couldn't remember the storyline.Then it dawned on me that I did 20 years ago.I thought it was good back then, but having watched it a couple days ago again, you can really appreciate the movie for what it is.Feel good romantic comedy that will leave you entertained and you'll probably watch it again in a couple of years from now.Great work from Hayek and Perry.

Fools Rush In (1997): Dir: Andy Tennant / Cast: Matthew Perry, Salma Hayek, Jon Tenney, Carlos Gomez, Suzanne Snyder: This film focuses upon people who rush into relationships without thinking. Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek meet on a job location and strike up a friendship that leads to a one night stand but she is gone by morning. He is from Manhattan but his job is in Vegas. Eventually she resurfaces with the news that she is pregnant. They decide to marry but they are from different cultures. It also doesn't help that her father takes an immediate dislike to him. Fine setup with realistic story structure but the religious elements are offensive. Hanging a cross in your home does not protect anyone from evil spirits. Directed by Andy Tennant who made the xeroxed Parent Trap crap fest It Takes Two so he couldn't do too much worse than that. Thankfully he improves and goes for intelligence. Perry fabulous as a confused guy who wishes to take responsibility. Hayek is terrific as a woman locked into particular values. We know where their relationship is headed and the supporting roles are no help. They are your usual brand of stereotypes who will be won over but not before they advertize lame religious beliefs. Theme of sexual consequence make for a worthy theme but this romantic comedy is too weird in its family elements resulting in a film that mainly romantics will rush into. Score: 7 / 10

I have read some reviews here, and many people think this is a conventional romantic comedy, it really is not. It is about not being truly happy with your life, and when you discover what you want, being willing to make the sacrifices necessary to keep it. One of these is overcoming your fears. This is what Alex Whitman (Matthew Perry), and photographer Isabel Fuentes (Salma Hayak), have to do throughout the film. One big issue is the families involved: Alex's are blue blood WASP types, and Isabel's are very traditional Mexicans. It is also Alex's story (far more than Isabel's), and how he really does not like his life, he just does not know any other way. One thing he does, is instead of joining the Country Club set, is studying architecture, at Yale. While going to Yale, is expected for someone like him, taking a difficult major outside the family business was not. So was marrying Cathy Stewart (Suzanne Snyder), who to quote Alex "Was pursuing me since the 3rd Grade." Since the Stewart's were good friends of his parent's (John Bennett Perry (Matthew's real life father) and Jill Clayburgh), it would have been the easy thing simply to marry her, and please them (Although he finds it difficult to stand up to them (Which will create problems later on)). Spoilers Ahead: He and his best friend Jeff (Jon Tenny) are transferred From the New York office where they work, to Las Vegas for a construction project. He then meets Isabel in a Mexican Restaurant and lets her cut the line to the bathroom, and from there they have a one night stand, and then she disappears. Month's later, she shows up pregnant, and he offers to meet her family, so she would not be shamed into being pregnant with someone they never met. When he does, he really likes the big family environment and comments on how his family never eats together. He then offers to any marry her, and he is happy with her, until his parent's show up, and he cannot admit to them Isabel is his wife. From there, the relationship starts to sour, because of family issues, mistrust, lies (She told him she had an miscarriage), and their fears. In one scene Isabel goes to Mexico to visit her great grandmother, and admitted how much she loved Alex, but was afraid of being hurt. They finally agree to get a divorce, but Alex (Now back in New York) is miserable. He runs into a Priest, who tells him "There are signs out there." Pictures of The Grand Canyon, a chihuahua, and a little girl named Isabel, remind him of her, and he does not want the divorce (Although time is running out). So he goes down to Mexico (Where he found out she was), and takes a cheap plane from Mexico City, an old bus, and a mule, to get to her great grandmother's only to find out she was heading back to Las Vegas (He had no idea it was to bear his child, since he did not speak or understand Spanish). He gets there first, and is standing on Hoover Dam, and a huge rainstorm happens and he gets drenched. Finally she is driving and sees him and almost causes an accident. She is mad at him (And more at herself because she lost hope (She broke up with a previous boy friend because a necklace broke which to her was a sign)), then he finds out she is still pregnant, and they both admit they were lying and afraid. Then her water broke, and she is going to have the baby right on the Dam. What really impresses her, is the fact that he would travel all the way to Mexico just for her (He had no idea she was still pregnant). When the baby comes (A girl), Isabel asks "Do you think she will like living in New York City?' Alex says "Not as much as camping in the desert." A key point, because one of Isabel's brother's explained, that her life is here, and she would not be happy anywhere else. Then Isabel said "With a few Gray's Papaya hot dogs (A famous New York hot dog)." Alex then says, "Oh no." Isabel says:' What?" Alex says "We're divorced." Of course, that will change when they are married again (This time in a traditional way at The Grand Canyon (Unlike the first time by an Elvis impersonator and without the families there)). I am a huge Salma fan, and she is at her best here. But this is Perry's film, and his scenes are the funny ones: Getting cactus needles in his behind after going camping and landing in a pit of rattlesnakes, and the rain scene. But he is also the one who is willing to do whatever is necessary to have Isabel, and that means leaving his prior life behind, and not only accepting but embracing hers. This is one of my favorite films of all-time. 10/10 stars.