Giving some love to an old favorite
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Prelude to a Kiss
WDformerWB — 11 years ago(March 10, 2015 01:56 PM)
Just saw this again for the first time in quite a few years. Somewhat surprised at the low-ish rating but maybe not so much given that some of my favorite movies seem to be in the same category on IMDB ('Joe Versus the Volcano' or 'The Cable Guy', for example).
I first saw this when I rented it to watch at home shortly after it was released, which also happened to be about a year after I'd first gotten married following a brief, whirlwind romance of barely a year. As a newlywed still getting to know the guy I married, this movie spoke volumes to me back then. Still does today and I'm happy to report we've been lucky as well as having worked hard to grow and adapt married 24 years this summer and learned a lot about love as well as each other. Still learning.
Love is far from glamorous or thrilling 95% of the time. There were periods in the early years of my marriage when I wondered if I'd made a particularly colossal blunder in getting married so quickly wed spent less than a few months together and the majority of our engagement was long distance.
Yet as Van Morrison croons in his song featured in the film, "Someone like you makes it all worthwhile, someone like you keeps me satisfied, someone exactly like you." The right person often makes all the difference in the world regardless of the scope of obstacles encountered.
For me, this movie is an endearing, under-appreciated little gem with some poignant and funny things to say about the nature of romance, love, commitment, challenges, sacrifice and compassion. I think it does so with a witty and zany yet still tender and wise voice. Of course it puts quite a twist on the old saying that the honeymoon is over. Baldwin and Ryan were perfectly cast here and Sydney Walker as the 'Old Man' was memorably delightful.
Extra points that Baldwin was, of course, extra smoking hot circa 1992
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TotheWatersandtheWild — 10 years ago(September 06, 2015 08:44 PM)
The low rating seems really out of place (and I also think
The Cable Guy
is underrated). Interesting and poignant connection you have with this movie, too.
I didn't like Baldwin until I saw this. He really gives it everything and his intensity and devotion sell it. That's an underrated performance. And I love their chemistry, and only wish the whole movie was longer and we got more of the in-laws, and the old man's family, as well.
It's a sweet movie, not cynical, magical, and old-fashioned.
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If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.