Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz and Rupert Everett star in MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING, a high-spirited romantic comedy that serves up something wild, something new, something touching and something truly hilarious. Roberts dazzles as commitment-shy Jules Potter, who reluctantly realizes she is in love with her best friend Michael (Mulroney). There is just one catch: he’s about to marry someone else. Comically crazed and full of devious plans, Jules will do anything to steal him back… except tell him the simple truth.
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Video Quality
The new 25th Anniversary 4K UHD Blu-Ray of My Best Friend’s Wedding offers a lovely uptick in quality over the remastered Blu-Ray from seven years ago that was very pleasing by the standards of the day. This new release does not contain an accompanying Blu-Ray, but we have access to that previous release and can spot the improvements. This new release is derived from a 4K scan of the original camera negative in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio in 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision. You can always count on Sony to deliver top quality for their catalog releases, and this is no exception.
A true standout aspect of this transfer is in the implementation of Dolby Vision/HDR. With this being a romantic comedy, the color palette is extremely lively and bright throughout with a very nuanced visual presentation. Colors are more complex, natural and accurate to what was crafted by the creative team. This is especially true in elements of the costumes and production design which show a deeper representation of the hues. The stronger command over the contrast is especially helpful throughout. The black levels maintain a deep and inky look with grand detail while the highlights present as more firmly defined with no instances of blooming to be found. Skin tones appear way more complex and natural than the previous Blu-Ray with healthy doses of fine detail apparent on faces such as pores.
This fresh transfer sports a picture that has gorgeous film grain that resolves perfectly without being clumpy or unnatural. Even the toughest gradients do not betray the picture with loose grain or unsightly banding, which even the best discs can sometimes struggle to resolve. Sony has stayed away from any digital tinkering on this transfer, so this disc is free of DNR, compression artifacts and other encode issues. The modern production design, makeup and landscapes are presented with perfect clarity and texture. In every new location you will find an array of minute details that are newly visible thanks to the 4K resolution. The costumes and textural output on display is simply marvelous to behold with everything rendering without any issues. This is a mighty upgrade which fans should really love devouring.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray upgrades the audio with a Dolby Atmos track that gives the film a richer soundscape that opens up the world. Audio purists should not worry, though, as the 4K UHD Blu-Ray provides the original soundtrack in glorious lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio. Both of these tracks on the 4K UHD really deliver as effortlessly as you would want, but we are glad that Sony is one of the companies who realize original audio should be a choice for fans who want it while still delivering something special for audiophiles. The original DTS-HD 5.1 track is obviously not quite as all-encompassing as the Atmos track, but it handles the material perfectly with stability and power.
With the Atmos track, you can tell early on that the airy soundscape feels more enveloping. Throughout the film, you are treated to environmental activity that extends to the surrounds, rears and overhead speakers to make the world feel more three dimensional and all-encompassing in a way that settles you in space. The sounds up above mostly come in the form of light environmental effects which transport you quite capably. The low end effects from the subwoofer adds a bit of texture to a few moments to enrich the experience. The film really satisfies when it comes to the music, as the soundtrack evokes a sense of warmth and nostalgia for audiences of a certain age, never faltering when it comes to fidelity. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered accurately within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting overshadowed by the music or sound effects. Sony delivered a knockout here. There are optional English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Special Features
- Deleted Scenes: There are 20 minutes of previously unreleased, unused scenes provided here in rough quality. Most of these are random throwaway moments, but there are some amusing alternate lines when Kimberly and Julianne are coming to an understanding in the elevator, intimate moments between Julianne and Michael, George dazzling at dinner and more.
- Alternate Ending: A new nearly five-minute alternate ending is provided here in rough quality with some music removed. It is interesting to see a familiar face show up in this version, but the theatrical version works out much better as it shows the real love that Julianne has in her life without the need for it to be romantic.
- On The Set – My Best Friend’s Wedding: A 20-minute vintage featurette is provided here in which the cast and creative team discuss the story, the characters, the unique sense of humor that sets it apart, the shooting locations, the construction of some pivotal scenes, the original score, the costumes and more.
- My Best Friend’s Wedding Album: A seven-minute behind-the-scenes piece at the baseball game, the department store, the wedding venue and more that doubles as a trivia track.
- Wedding Do’s & Don’ts: A five-minute video which offers some wedding tips over vintage footage.
- Unveiled My Best Friend’s Wedding: A 15-minute featurette which takes a look at the development of the movie, the direction of P.J. Hogan, key scenes within the film, the relationship between the cast members, finding the right ending for the movie and more.
- “I Say A Little Prayer” Sing-Along: The two-and-a-half minute clip of this key song is provided here in sing-along form in Dolby Digital 2.0.
- Theatrical Trailer: This nearly two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
My Best Friend’s Wedding can be seen as a sterling example of prime ‘90s romantic comedy supremacy, but those who know it are well aware that it is not a film that simply adheres to the tropes. Our focal character played by Julia Roberts is far from your perfect leading lady, as she makes selfish and hurtful choices that put her in a very unsteady place morally. Yet, with the help of a beguiling presence like Roberts and a script that is sharp enough to pull itself back from the edge, the proper tonal balance is maintained for a story that is very funny and ultimately romantic in more than one sense. It is a tricky tightrope, but it walks it well. Sony Pictures has released a truly dazzling new 4K UHD Blu-Ray in celebration of the film’s 25th anniversary featuring a fetching A/V presentation and a great selection of special features both new and old. This is a must-buy for fans of the film. Recommended
My Best Friend’s Wedding is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.