My Best Friend's Wedding

My Best Friend’s Wedding

1997

Director: P.J. Hogan

Writer: Ronald Bass

105 Minutes

“Crème brûlée can never be Jell-O. YOU could never be Jell-O,” – Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts)

Character definition. Julianne is Jell-O, the comforting food you could eat at anytime. Kimberly Wallace (Cameron Diaz) is crème brulee, an expensive, yet proper dessert reserved for special occasions.

In this brilliant romantic comedy, two women are pursuing one man. One is his best friend. The other his fiancé. The movie is brilliant because you are rooting for the villain the entire movie. Julianne Potter is the villain. She is in the wrong. And if anyone but Julia Roberts played Julianne Potter, the film might have bombed.

Julia Roberts is a home-girl. She’s the interesting, fun friend at diner. She’s the confidant when you’ve accomplished something great. She’s the sister when you’re depressed. The world loves Julia Roberts, though in this movie: she’s a bitch.

She’s vindictive. She’s harsh, jealous, and hateful. But she’s Julia Roberts, so it’s okay. She's lovable. Something about her smile or how she carries herself, it’s impossible to hate her.

In the scene above, she’s trying to convince Kimberly, the bride to be, that her fiancé wants someone else in his life and does this by describing food products. Crème Brulee vs Jell-O. The groom doesn’t want something “irritatingly perfect,” but something “comfortable" (translation: He doesn't want you, he wants me.) But, it’s Julianne who wants something comfortable and she’ll ruin a wedding, relationship, and life to get it.

Why?

Because she wants her best-friend, the man she always knew she would marry, but skipped over. Now, he’s getting married and she’s going to be alone again, maybe forever. So she does what any women in her “right mind,” would do: steal the fiancé.

She fails. She should fail. She was the villain. And the villain should fail.

But in the end, she says goodbye. That’s what she needed to do. That’s what you’re supposed to do. Because in life, there are times when you need to let your family, friends, and lovers go. And it was Julianne's redeeming moment, kissing her best friend goodbye, so he could lead a more fulfilling life.

Bravo.

Julia Roberts might always be Jell-O. But, that’s why we love her.