TMG Scale 9.0
Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, Colin Egglesfield, John Krasinski
I loved this movie. It is tastefully done and only rated PG-13. There is sparse overt sex and only a few F-bombs. The New York Times called the story “A contemporary fairy tale.” I disagree. I think this film is a contemporary, true tale. Most anyone over the age of 21 has lived this story in a number of ways. Certainly, most know someone in their life that compares with all the characters. I think you have to go through an extensive engagement or marriage and have fallen in and out of love a few times to really appreciate this film’s dynamics. But this is no “chick flick.”
Darcy, the party girl blonde (Hudson) and Rachel, the sensible brunette (Goodwin) are life long best friends. Rachel loves Darcy but is always the submissive one. Darcy “goes for it” through life while the more demure and gracious Rachel caters to her. TMG has seen this countless times in real life. I think most women will relate to the basic set up. What happens when Darcy gets engaged to Dex (Egglesfield) but Rachel and Dex find they are the ones in love? To say the least, it gets complicated. All of them plus a few extras spend weekends in “The Hamptons” having fun and trying to sort through their feelings.
I really thought this film had some Big Chill (1983) type feeling to it. But with all the critics panning this film as not living up to the book of the same name by Emily Griffin, it will not likely achieve the same cultural status. They are just book snobs and elitists. The only scene I would have cut is a spoofy game of badminton ripped right out of Top Gun (1986). [Sure it was sand volleyball in Top Gun but I laughed at the similarity] Egglesfield even sports aviator sunglasses, poses and looks amazingly like Tom Cruise. Look for the scene. It’s a cheesy ripoff for an otherwise well structured film.
The questions this film raises for best friends and anyone in a relationship are many. It presents a good messages out of what might have been not only a disaster, but morally challenging. One such message is for the Rachels of the world…the good and loyal friends who often fail to assert themselves or act in their best interests. That message is to not always do just what you think is “expected” of you and be brave enough to change your mind. It worked for Rachel. It worked for me.