It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Admirable film.

Ike Graham (Richard Gere) is a famous NY newspaper columnist. He meets a stranger George Swilling (Reg Rogers) in a bar who tells him about a small town girl Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) who ran out on him. Ike writes about the Runaway Bride in his column. Maggie gets angry and writes a letter with 15 factual errors. He gets fired by his ex-wife Ellie (Rita Wilson) for the actionable mistakes that could get the paper sued. He goes to do some research on Maggie. If she runs away again, then he would have a front page story. This time Maggie is engaged for the fourth time, this time to high school football coach Bob Kelly (Christopher Meloni). He comes to town and stirs up a whole lot of trouble.Director Garry Marshall has the ability to get great actors. He reunites the 'Pretty Woman' team along with a lot of good comedic talents. The problem is that this movie pales in comparison. Julia Roberts still has that winning smile. There is a lot more salt in Richard Gere's hair. The romance isn't quite there this time. Their characters don't like each other and the inevitable unimaginative turn feels forced. It would make more sense if the turn didn't happen. If Marshall wants to make a rom-com out of this, Ike Graham should be Cupid rather than Prince Charming. It would be a more compelling poetic turn if a long time townie friend actually knows how she likes her eggs. Everything after the turn in Ike and Maggie is a waste of time.

Julia Roberts has been around for a long time. Every couple years I end up seeing one of her movies, and every single time I ask the same question - why on earth is this woman so famous? There's a couple of things about her acting I can't stand: 1)Facial Expression: In every movie I've watched with Julia Roberts she has the same stilted-emotionless expression on her face during the whole movie. I call it the "deer-in-headlights" look. She doesn't even look comfortable speaking. She looks like some child actor who is staring wide-eyed into the camera, struggling to speak her lines.2) Delivery: Her delivery is equally terrible. She always speaks her lines in the same monotone-deadpan voice. It does not matter what scene she is in. She is incapable of altering the pitch or loudness of her voice. She sounds like that computer "Hal" from 2001: A Space Odyssey.3) A totally uninteresting actor: Julia Roberts does not adapt herself to any role. She always plays herself. Many great actors do this (aka Robert De Niro, Al Pacino etc). It works for them because they are actually interesting-dynamic people and hence their characters are always interesting and dynamic. This is not the case with Julia. It doesn't matter if she's playing a queen, a mother, a prostitute or a wife. You always get the same monotone-stilted performance.She is the most overrated female actress in history.

Four points for Miles Davis whose "It never entered my mind" decorates "Runaway Bride" at intervals unfortunately too far apart to keep it from sinking in its own saccharine sea. Consider this:-Richard Gere is a column - writer for "U.S.A.Today"(advt) He is obviously an "intellectual" because he has floppy grey hair and rimless glasses.He hangs around other journos from "U.S.A. Today"(advt) and spends a lot of time in a bar near the "U.S.A. Today"(advt) building - I think I can see a pattern evolving here................. In this bar near the "U.S.A.Today"(advt) building he gets a tip about a woman in Maryland who has left her prospective grooms at the altar 7 times."I shall call it "The Runaway Bride" ",he says,intellectually. Neglecting to do even the most basic of research he rushes into print and after a complaint from the "Runaway Bride" herself he is sacked from "U.S.A. Today" (advt) Rather belatedly you might think,he drives out to Maryland to discover the truth for himself.In a small town that makes Bedford Falls seem like Bedford - Stuyvesant,he meets - cute with the "Runaway Bride" - none other than Miss Julia Roberts - and you can work out the rest for yourself,quite possibly far quicker than Mr Gere,who,for an intellectual employed by "U.S.A. Today"(advt),is remarkably slow - witted. With more false climaxes than Meg Ryan,"The Runaway Bride" peters out tamely and predictably.Apart from Mr Gere the cast spend a lot of time laughing long and loud,presumably hoping it will be catching. Unfortunately I seemed to have developed an immunity,although I suspect the sales of "U.S.A.Today" (advt) developed an upsurge.

Well, I got the DVD of this from a friend and I started to regret watching this because I thought it would be another same old romantic chick flick, which has no meaning to it whatsoever. But, despite all that, I was amazed that I actually liked this movie! Because like I said, normally I don't like chick flicks but this movie brought the world of romance to another level, which for me, I like. The performances by the handsome Richard Gere and the beautiful Julia Roberts was surprisingly good! I mean, it just made the movie more enjoyable and compelling. So well done to them, and for the script, it was a little dodgy at the start and a little few people will not understand a single thing that is happening, but I think to make the script better, someone should be a narrator and tell the story, so people will understand it. Other than that I really enjoyed the beautiful and wonderful ending!This movie just kept me on the edge of my seat and I must say, when you watch it, you lose yourself and you feel like your in heaven. Seriously, I felt like that when I was watching it and I was really captivated by that. Furthermore, I think the cast and crew did a marvellous job creating this heartwarming romantic comedy and they should deserve a Oscar for it! So once again, well done! So if you feel like taking a break from a long exhausting day, Runaway Bride is always there to calm you down and take you away into the blue skies of heaven and above.