Dependable and Steadfast is Pretty Good Stuff

Movie Review.
Title: ‘Runaway Bride’: Pretty Woman is Back; but Now She’s Cautious
Author: Janet Maslin

Dependable and Steadfast is Pretty Good Stuff

What do moviegoers look for in a film today? A question explored as we examine Janet Maslin New York Times film review. A film reviewers’ clout, through leading publications' wide range influence, is capable of either enticing or put off a readers desire to ultimately purchase or view a film. The New York Times is a renowned publication within the nations’ largest hub of entertainment. This publication reached an estimated 57 million online readers in the third quarter of 2006 (nytimes 2).

The “The Runaway Bride” film portrays a New York, USA Today newspaper journalist, Ike Graham (Richard Gere) and a Maryland country hardware store clerk, Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts), known as the “runaway bride.” Maggie’s quirky reputation for leaving a trail of would be grooms at the altar is the pivotal theme. When Ike publishes an article about Maggie, conflict between Ike and Maggie ensues, a situation that leads to their budding romance and ultimate marriage.

Maslin contrasts this PG rated, romantic comedy film “The Runaway Bride” as an exact opposite counterpart to that of its predecessor with the same famous female/male stars as “Pretty Woman.” Maslin critiques the film as, “More often, the film is like a ride through a car wash: forward motion, familiar phases in the same old order and a sense of being carried along steadily on a well-used track. It works without exactly showing signs of life” (Maslin 1). At first glance, this metaphor might seem a negative report when in fact it positions the film as desirable to particular audiences, as it is deemed reliably entertaining, with no big surprises. Many prospective viewers may find this element more appealing than the unexpected. The critique combines sporadic structure and a descriptive intriguing style with its flowery, adjective profuse diction and imagery. Maslin further describes the film as one slow in progressing to the interest sustaining stage, that is, about half way into the movie. As the plot continues, the film is defined as increasingly sustaining viewer interest, when the main characters shine in their starring roles, illuminating the supporting characters in their glow.

Works Cited
1. Janet Maslin The New York Times on the Web. Movie Review.
Title: ‘Runaway Bride’: Pretty Woman is Back; but Now She’s Cautious
http://www.m1ovietome.com/pages/tracking/index.php?ref_id=275747&tid=7
2.http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/business/media/31paper.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=New%20York%20Times%20circulation%20data&st=cse