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Prelude to a Kiss
A couple fall in love despite the girl's pessimistic outlook. As they struggle to come to terms with their relationship, something supernatural happens that tests it.
Release : | 1992 |
Rating : | 5.6 |
Studio : | 20th Century Fox, Gruskoff/Levy Company, ML Film Entertainment International, |
Crew : | Art Direction, Production Design, |
Cast : | Alec Baldwin Meg Ryan Kathy Bates Ned Beatty Patty Duke |
Genre : | Drama Comedy Romance |
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Reviews
That was an excellent one.
How sad is this?
Good start, but then it gets ruined
In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
"For better or for worse." Cliché but seldom are we tested. This is a very unusual story. You think you're watching a romantic comedy at first, albeit one with ominous overtones. It then veers into a very mystical love story. In my opinion, both Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan give the best performances of their careers - and are both absolutely stunning-looking and charismatic. The tone is somewhat "Witches of Eastwick" - though not quite as supernatural - and a little bit "Death Becomes Her" - but less absurdist. The supporting players are all excellent, albeit in very lean roles. A few things to keep in mind: the movie is adapted from a 1990 play and can seem a bit stagey at times. Alec Baldwin recreates the role he had created on Broadway. (Mary Louise Parker had created the role on Broadway but the studio insisted on Ryan - Ryan was restrained and very good but her participation gave the impression to audiences that they were in rom-com territory: expectations were set - then dashed - as this is not a rom-com and is at times is very disturbing. Although she was not well-known at the time, MLP may have made this film remembered more fondly.) The writer/director team is also the same as the Broadway play and the writer and director had previously collaborated on Longtime Companion. That is important because deep- down Prelude to a Kiss is a metaphor for loving someone whose clock is ticking - loving someone despite the illness and decay. About true love - and its limits - and appreciating what we have while we have it - it's a little gem of a movie although you need to suspend your disbelief and focus on the three (yes, three) lead performances.
Alec Baldwin, Meg Ryan, Sydney Walker, Kathy Bates, Patty Duke and Ned Beatty star in this 1992 romantic fantasy based on the play. Baldwin (Beetlejuice) plays Peter, a businessman who meets and finds romance with Rita (Ryan), a designer turned bartender who has a negative outlook on life. Soon, fate takes them on a journey when a mysterious, sickly, old man, Julius (Walker) crashes their wedding and kisses Rita. Peter starts noticing changes in her behavior discovering that Julius and her have magically, switched bodies. Eventually, things go back to normal and Rita's outlook on life changes. Bates (Titanic) plays Leah, Julius' daughter, Beatty and the late, Duke play Rita's parents. This is pretty good and Baldwin and Ryan have good chemistry. I recommend this.
Prelude to a Kiss is a wonderful experience. Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan are perfect together. I especially enjoyed his narration at the beginning of the movie as he describes his first encounter with Meg's character. It's all about soulmates and how they connect and they just know it was meant to be. Then there is the powerful moment after Meg Ryan and an elderly man somehow swap bodies and Baldwin looks at his wife and asks "where is my wife?!" because he just knows that she is not the same person he fell in love with, even though it was her body and she looked like his wife, there was something wrong...something off....when it came to her spirit and the way she thought and acted. Incredibly original stuff... to show how deep love is actually. That we could tell whether or not someone is our soulmate even if they changed physical form. It also showed how we love and embrace all those annoying little things about our lovers that we complain about and don't agree with. I thought it was extremely cute how he missed all of his wife's neurotic and strange idiosyncrasies. All of her foibles were as important to him as all of her best traits.This is a very underrated movie and a must see for anyone who is a romantic.
It was so good. I agree that this is one of Alec's best performances. The fact the he grabbed down and kissed that old man is testimony to his acting ability. This is a movie about an old man and Meg Ryan, who kiss, then exchange souls. There is an element of comedy in this as well as wonder and mystery and a tad of suspense. I usually can't stand Meg "smiles" Ryan, but she is tolorable in THIS movie only. The highlight of this movie is certainly Alec Baldwin, who ALWAYS delivers the goods!!