Runaway Bride (1999)

Screen It! is not attempting to rate the movie as good or bad but to give parents the tools to decide whether it's appropriate for their kids.

This movie has been screened for objectional content in 15 areas. Click for a detailed look.

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG rated romantic comedy. A few instances of mild profanity as well as some sexually related comments -- verbal and one written -- but no activity, earns this film its rating. One character is noted as being an alcoholic and other characters drink and/or have liquor in front of them. The two lead characters display some bad attitudes -- she leaves grooms stranded at the last minute on the altar while he writes disparaging remarks about her and then sets out to prove she'll dump her latest fiancé -- and some local townsfolk make fun of Maggie. Beyond that, the rest of the film's categories have little or nothing in the way of major objectionable material. Nonetheless, should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, we encourage you to take a closer look at the listed content.

QUICK TAKE:: Romantic Comedy: After being fired for writing an article about a woman with a reputation for leaving grooms at the altar, a cynical reporter visits her small town to prove that she'll do the same to her latest fiancé.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of Roberts, Gere and/or romantic comedies (such as "Pretty Woman"), it's a definite bet they will.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For language and some suggestive dialogue.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: JULIA ROBERTS plays a small town woman with a track record of leaving her prospective grooms stranded at the altar.
RICHARD GERE plays a cynical New York newspaper columnist who writes a less than flattering column about Maggie and then sets out to prove that she'll similarly strand her latest fiancé. After a while, however, he comes to like and defend her.
JOAN CUSACK plays Maggie's best friend, a hairstylist who initially dislikes Ike because of what he wrote about her best friend.
HECTOR ELIZONDO plays Ike's friend who married his ex-wife and encourages him to pursue the Maggie story.
RITA WILSON plays Ike's former wife and current boss who ends up firing him over the factual errors in his column.
PAUL DOOLEY plays Maggie's father who's become an alcoholic after his wife's death.; RICHARD GERE plays a cynical New York newspaper columnist who writes a less than flattering column about Maggie and then sets out to prove that she'll similarly strand her latest fiancé. After a while, however, he comes to like and defend her.
JOAN CUSACK plays Maggie's best friend, a hairstylist who initially dislikes Ike because of what he wrote about her best friend.
HECTOR ELIZONDO plays Ike's friend who married his ex-wife and encourages him to pursue the Maggie story.
RITA WILSON plays Ike's former wife and current boss who ends up firing him over the factual errors in his column.
PAUL DOOLEY plays Maggie's father who's become an alcoholic after his wife's death.; JOAN CUSACK plays Maggie's best friend, a hairstylist who initially dislikes Ike because of what he wrote about her best friend.
HECTOR ELIZONDO plays Ike's friend who married his ex-wife and encourages him to pursue the Maggie story.
RITA WILSON plays Ike's former wife and current boss who ends up firing him over the factual errors in his column.
PAUL DOOLEY plays Maggie's father who's become an alcoholic after his wife's death.; HECTOR ELIZONDO plays Ike's friend who married his ex-wife and encourages him to pursue the Maggie story.
RITA WILSON plays Ike's former wife and current boss who ends up firing him over the factual errors in his column.
PAUL DOOLEY plays Maggie's father who's become an alcoholic after his wife's death.; RITA WILSON plays Ike's former wife and current boss who ends up firing him over the factual errors in his column.
PAUL DOOLEY plays Maggie's father who's become an alcoholic after his wife's death.; PAUL DOOLEY plays Maggie's father who's become an alcoholic after his wife's death.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: MODERATE: Ike has a drink in a bar where other people drink, including a somewhat intoxicated man who gives Ike the tip about Maggie.
The next day people drink in this bar again.
Ike tells Ellie, "Don't knock drunk guys in a bar (as a story source), it means they're not driving."

While drinking wine, Maggie's father states that when he only sees one dog, he knows he's had too much to drink.
We see beer on the table as Ike joins Maggie, her family and Bob for a crab dinner.
As Ike sits down next to Peggy at a softball game, she informs him that he's sitting in Maggie's seat. As he picks up her cup from which he then drinks, he comments that it must be her beer as well.
After Ike warns Maggie that he'll call the sheriff about her illegally entering his hotel room, she says that's fine and to remind the officer that he's bringing wine to the luau.
We see Maggie prying a drink from her father's hand at a bar and then escorting him out to his truck where he then passes out on the seat. Maggie then tells Ike that her father has been drinking more and more ever since her mother died.
We also see a man drinking beer from a bottle sitting on an outside bench at the bar.
Back in New York, one of Maggie's former fiances drinks as does Ike.
We see a glass of wine in front of Ellie and a glass of beer in front of Ike.
People have drinks at a luau where Ike has a beer.
Maggie's father has a beer.
We see wine near Ike and Maggie.
Peggy stops by and asks Maggie if she wants to go out for a drink, but Maggie declines the offer.
People celebrate with champagne in a bar.

BLOOD/GORE: NONE: None.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: HEAVY: Ike has some of both toward others (and briefly makes fun of small town life and the people who live there) and writes a less than flattering story about Maggie before ever meeting her. He then sets out to follow her every move to prove that she'll also strand her latest groom at the altar (he does, however, come around and start to like and defend her).
Maggie has both for stranding all of her grooms at the altar during their wedding ceremonies and for suddenly making out with another man in front of her fourth. She also flirts with Peggy's significant other (but does so somewhat unconsciously).
The local townsfolk, including Maggie's father, make fun of her tendency to strand her grooms at the altar (in several scenes, including a luau).
Maggie gets the key from the local hotel manager to go into Ike's room and take some of his belongings (to spite him).

FRIGHTENING SCENES: NONE: None.

GUNS/WEAPONS: None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: MINOR: Phrases: "One-eyed snake" (penis), "Schmuck," "Screwed up," "Slime ball," "Bite me," "Pain in the ass," "Jeez" and "Nuts" (crazy).

Peggy and Maggie offer to wash Ike's hair while he questions Maggie, but the two women instead dye his hair several vibrant colors.

JUMP SCENES: NONE: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): NONE: None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): NONE: None.

PROFANITY: MILD: At least 2 asses (1 used with "hole"), 2 hells, and 2 uses each of "God" and "My God" and 1 use of "Oh God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: MILD: Bob, a mountain climber, wears a T-shirt that reads, "Mountaineers do it against the wall."
Some female models briefly show a bit of cleavage.
Making a sarcastic comment that's not meant to be taken literally, either Maggie or Peggy says to the other "When you talk like that, it turns me on and frightens me."
As Maggie talks to the local priest in a confessional, she reminds him that "ten years ago you had your tongue down my throat" (he was one of the former fiances before he became a priest).
Ike comments about Maggie being topless in a public place and holds a photograph that presumably shows her that way (we only see if from a distance and can't see any details). Ike, however, can and comments that it must have been "chilly that evening" (referring to the state of her breasts).

As Ike awakens to find Maggie standing at the foot of his bed, he quickly sits up causing her to motion for him to stop because "I didn't come her to see Ike junior" (referring to his privates).
Maggie's grandmother states that Maggie isn't afraid of the wedding, but instead the wedding night. She then adds that "many girls are terrified of the one-eyed snake" and states that on her wedding night she took a knitting needle to bed with her.
Ike makes an offhand comment about foreplay concerning Ellie and Fisher.
We see a female dancer at a luau in a bikini top, and then see that Maggie's wearing a similar top underneath her Hawaiian shirt (and shows a little cleavage).
Ike questions whether Maggie was really interested in the sexual practices of locusts (that a former fiancé researched).
Ike and Maggie briefly but somewhat passionately kiss.
Maggie's grandmother states that she likes Ike's "tight butt."
When Peggy tries to figure out what a flock of geese flying in a V formation symbolizes, she throws out V for virginal, but Maggie shakes her head negatively for that.

SMOKING: MINOR: We briefly see a picture of what looks like Mark Twain with a cigar.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: MINOR: It's mentioned that Maggie's father became an alcoholic after his wife's death, but nothing more is made of her demise.

Ike is divorced from Ellie, but no kids are involved.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: MILD: Maggie's lack of self-confidence and her need to establish her identity through her intended husbands.
Ike's reported factual errors in his column about Maggie and whether readers should be cautious about everything they read.

VIOLENCE: MINOR: Several older women hit Ike with their newspapers in different scenes (three total).
Ike uses his shoulder to bust through a locked door.
Bob punches Ike.