My Best Friend's Wedding: What To Expect

what happens in my best friends wedding

In the 1997 romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding, Julianne Jules Potter (Julia Roberts), a 27-year-old food critic, realises she is in love with her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) when he announces his engagement to Kimmy (Cameron Diaz). With only days before the wedding, Jules resolves to sabotage the wedding and win Michael over. She enlists the help of her gay friend George (Rupert Everett), who pretends to be her fiancé. Despite her schemes, Jules is ultimately unsuccessful in breaking up the couple, and the film ends with her dancing with George at the wedding reception.

Characteristics Values
Year of release 1997
Genre Romantic comedy
Director P.J. Hogan
Screenplay writer Ronald Bass
Producer Ronald Bass
Main cast Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, Rupert Everett
Plot Julianne "Jules" Potter, a 27-year-old food critic, realises she is in love with her best friend Michael O'Neal, a sportswriter, after he gets engaged to Kimmy Wallace. With only days before the wedding, Julianne tries to break them up and win Michael over.
Awards and nominations Nominated for 1 Oscar, 12 wins and 24 nominations total, including Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor

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Julianne Jules Potter's realisation of her love for her best friend Michael

In the 1997 romantic comedy film "My Best Friend's Wedding", Julianne "Jules" Potter, a 27-year-old food critic, realises she is in love with her best friend, Michael O'Neal, a Chicago sportswriter. The pair had made a pact years earlier that if they were both unmarried by the age of 28, they would marry each other.

Jules' realisation of her love for Michael comes when he calls her three weeks before her 28th birthday to tell her that he is getting married to Kimmy Wallace, a college student eight years his junior. Jules resolves to sabotage the wedding and win Michael back, believing that she has one chance at happiness and must be ruthless.

Jules' scheming and manipulative nature is revealed as she tries to break up the couple, even enlisting the help of her gay friend George, who pretends to be her fiancé to make Michael jealous. However, her plans backfire, and she is forced to confront her true feelings for Michael.

Despite her underhanded tactics, Jules' actions are rooted in her deep care for Michael, and she ultimately wants what is best for him. Her love for him is both her armour and her weapon in the face of changing circumstances and her own ricocheting emotions.

Jules' relatable variant of jealousy is an all-consuming burning that she cannot brush away. This is evident in her plan to humiliate Kimmy at a karaoke bar, which ultimately fails when Kimmy impresses the crowd and Michael. Jules' character shows a rare softness as she looks on, impressed, revealing that it is the situation she hates, not Kimmy.

Jules' chaotic pursuit of Michael leads her to a touching appreciation of platonic love. She learns to treasure her friendship with George, who has been a rock throughout the ordeal, and she ends the film in his arms, having moved on from her romantic feelings for Michael.

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Jules' attempts to break up Michael and Kimmy

In the 1997 romantic comedy film "My Best Friend's Wedding", Julianne "Jules" Potter, a 27-year-old food critic, resolves to sabotage her lifelong friend Michael O'Neal's wedding after realising she is in love with him. Here are four to six paragraphs detailing Jules's attempts to break up Michael and his fiancée, Kimmy Wallace:

Jules arrives in Chicago with only four days to break up the couple. She reunites with Michael and meets Kimmy, who asks Jules to be her maid of honour. Jules's composure is tested as she is thrust into last-minute wedding preparations. She turns on her seductive side, trying to lure Michael.

Jules schemes to humiliate Kimmy at a karaoke bar, hoping to expose her as a mess in front of Michael. However, Kimmy impresses everyone with her bubbly personality and singing voice, and the plan backfires. Jules then manipulates Kimmy into asking her father to offer Michael a job, knowing that this will anger Michael as he values his independence. This plan also fails when Kimmy's apology melts Michael's heart.

Frustrated, Jules enlists the help of her gay friend George Downes, who flies to Chicago. On George's advice, Jules tells Michael that she is engaged to George, hoping to make him jealous. George plays along but embarrasses Jules at lunch with the wedding party by singing "I Say a Little Prayer" as the whole restaurant joins in.

After George returns home, Jules tells Michael that her "relationship" with George is over. Michael admits to feeling jealous and gives Jules the opportunity to confess her feelings, but she lets the moment pass. They share a dance as Michael sings their song, "The Way You Look Tonight".

The day before the wedding, Jules goes to Kimmy's father's office and forges an email from him to Michael's boss, asking that Michael be fired so that Kimmy's father can hire him. Jules saves the message instead of sending it, but later realises that Kimmy's father has unknowingly sent the email. Jules lies to enlist Michael's help, but they find the office locked. Back at Jules' hotel, Michael receives a message from his boss about the email and, furious, calls off the wedding.

The next morning, Jules discovers that neither Michael nor Kimmy has told anyone that the wedding is off. She tries to manipulate them into breaking up for good, but they decide to get married after all. Jules finally confesses her love to Michael and kisses him passionately. Kimmy witnesses this and drives away distraught, leading to a chase involving Michael and Jules in a caterer's truck.

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The introduction of Jules' gay BFF George

In the 1997 romantic comedy "My Best Friend's Wedding", Jules, a 27-year-old food critic, realises she is in love with her best friend Michael when he tells her he is getting married. She resolves to sabotage his wedding to another woman, Kimmy, and enlists the help of her gay friend and editor, George Downes.

George is introduced as Jules' sounding board when she thinks Michael is going to take her up on a pact they made to marry each other if they were still unmarried by the age of 28. He is her confidant and shoulder to cry on, and he flies to Chicago to help Jules deal with her feelings and talk to Michael. George is described as charming, handsome, and a drama queen. He is also said to be the force that shapes and defines the narrative.

George goes along with Jules' scheme to pretend to be engaged, but he refuses to change who he is to make her plan work. He leads a rousing rendition of "Say a Little Prayer" at lunch with the wedding party, endearing himself to Kimmy's family but embarrassing Jules. This is a key moment that defines George as a character rather than a function of the plot.

George is also a source of comic relief in the film. During the high-speed pursuit through Chicago, Jules calls him in a panic, and he gives a knowing, embarrassed nod to the rest of the crowd at the book reading, acknowledging the craziness of the situation.

In the end, George surprises Jules by showing up at the wedding reception, and they dance the night away. He is her true love and the hero of the story.

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The karaoke bar setup to humiliate Kimmy

In the 1997 romantic comedy film My Best Friend's Wedding, Julianne "Jules" Potter (Julia Roberts) tries to sabotage the wedding of her lifelong friend Michael O'Neal (Dermot Mulroney) and his fiancée, Kimmy Wallace (Cameron Diaz). In one scene, Jules attempts to humiliate Kimmy at a karaoke bar. Here is a detailed setup for that scene:

The Location:

The scene takes place in a crowded karaoke bar, with a lively atmosphere and enthusiastic patrons.

The Characters:

  • Jules, the protagonist, is a 27-year-old food critic from New York City. She is witty, charming, and determined to win back her best friend, Michael, by sabotaging his wedding.
  • Kimmy, the bubbly and lovable fiancée of Michael, is a college student eight years his junior. She is kind and naive, unaware of Jules' true intentions.
  • Michael, Jules' best friend and Kimmy's fiancé, is a Chicago sportswriter. He is caught in the middle of the two women, unaware of Jules' schemes.

The Setup:

  • Jules suggests going to a karaoke bar as a fun group activity, knowing that Kimmy is uncomfortable with singing in public. She plans to use this opportunity to embarrass Kimmy and drive a wedge between her and Michael.
  • Unbeknownst to Kimmy, Jules chooses a song that she knows will be challenging for Kimmy to sing, "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself."
  • As Kimmy takes the stage, her anxiety builds, and she becomes visibly nervous. Jules, on the other hand, appears confident and amused, expecting Kimmy to fail.

The Execution:

  • Kimmy begins to sing, and at first, her voice wavers, and she struggles to hit the right notes. The crowd quiets, sensing her discomfort.
  • However, as the song progresses, Kimmy gains confidence. Her voice soars, and she surprises everyone with her hidden talent.
  • Michael, instead of being turned off by Kimmy's performance, is charmed by her vulnerability and bravery. He looks at her with admiration and love, much to Jules' dismay.

The Aftermath:

  • Jules' plan to humiliate Kimmy backfires, as Kimmy ends up winning over the crowd and Michael's heart even more.
  • This scene marks a turning point in the film, as Jules realizes that her schemes are not working, and she begins to question her own actions and motivations.
  • The karaoke bar scene becomes a pivotal moment in the story, showcasing Kimmy's resilience and the strength of her connection with Michael.

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The ending: Jules' confrontation with Kimmy and her final scene with George

In the final scenes of "My Best Friend's Wedding", Jules (Julia Roberts) is faced with the reality of her actions as she watches Michael (Dermot Mulroney) and Kimmy (Cameron Diaz) decide to go through with the wedding. Jules finally confesses her love to Michael and kisses him passionately. Kimmy witnesses this and drives away distraught, with Michael in pursuit. Jules, realising the gravity of the situation, calls her friend George (Rupert Everett) and explains what has happened. George assures her that Michael truly loves Kimmy and that she must act quickly to ensure the couple reconcile.

Jules finds Michael at Chicago Union Station, where he forgives her and reveals that he proposed to Kimmy at the station. They then part ways to look for Kimmy. Jules finds Kimmy in the bathroom of Comiskey Park, where Kimmy confronts Jules for interfering in her relationship with Michael. Jules apologises and assures Kimmy that Michael truly loves her, and they reconcile.

The wedding proceeds, and at the reception, Jules gives a heartfelt speech as Kimmy's maid of honour. She allows the newlyweds to have "The Way You Look Tonight" as their song until they find their own. Jules and Michael share a final goodbye, both moving on from their past. In a heartwarming moment, Jules is surprised to see George at the reception, and they dance together.

The ending of "My Best Friend's Wedding" is a unique take on the typical rom-com formula, challenging the notion of a "happy ending" and offering a series of emotional climaxes. Jules' character arc concludes with her self-actualisation and the acceptance of not receiving romantic love in return. The film ends on a positive note, celebrating the enduring friendship between Jules and George.

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Frequently asked questions

The plot centres on Julianne "Jules" Potter (Julia Roberts), a food critic who realises she's in love with her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) when he gets engaged to Kimmy (Cameron Diaz). With only days before the wedding, Jules sets out to win Michael over and break him and Kimmy up.

P.J. Hogan

My Best Friend's Wedding is about good people. Jules wants to ruin both Michael and Kimmy's wedding and their relationship. However, she learns her lesson by the film's end, proving that she's not a bad person.

No, it's less of a conventional happily-ever-after and more of a challenge to the audience. It's a deconstruction of the romantic comedy genre, with the heroine's flaws being actual flaws rather than cute quirks.

Jules confesses her love to Michael, but he chooses Kimmy. Jules ends up dancing with her friend George (Rupert Everett) at the wedding reception.

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