Plot: What’s it about?
Peter Hoskins (Alec Baldwin) and Rita Boyle (Meg Ryan) have just been married, but it wasn’t an easy venture to get to the alter together. Rita has a negative outlook on life and love, but she wants to be with Peter, so the two ended up exchanging vows, despite her pessimism. But mere moments after their vows were said, they find themselves forced to look hard at their relationship, thanks to an unusual and supernatural event. Just after the two were announced as husband and wife, an old man asks permission to kiss the new bride. Of course, they agree and after the traditional kiss, something happens and Rita just isn’t the same girl she used to be. By some strange twist of divine fate, Rita and the old man had their souls exchanged, which leaves Peter in a hard position. Needless to say, the honeymoon was not a success and now Peter must track down the old man, so that he can try to return Rita to her rightful place.
I know the premise here is a little unusual, but in the end, Prelude To A Kiss is a solid romantic flick and well worth a look. I like the cast a lot, with such names as Alec Baldwin, Meg Ryan, Patty Duke, Stanley Tucci, Ned Beatty, and Kathy Bates at the top of the list. This one has some very good acting and because of that, the sometimes weak storyline doesn’t seem as weak in the end. A good actor can elevate the material and with a strong enough cast, even the weakest material comes off as good. This material is by no means terrible, but it does have some soft spots and the cast works to ensure those remain minimal points. So this isn’t your usual romantic flick by any means, but perhaps that is why I like it in the end, as I usually dislike sentimental sap festivals. Some cliches do come up and that is to expected, I mean what would a romantic film be without some of the old standards, right? This isn’t the best the romantic genre has to offer, but if you’re looking for a rental, then Prelude To A Kiss is more than worth that price. I think this disc is solid on the basic points, but lacks supplement, so unless you’re a serious fan, I think a rental is more than enough.
If there is a vital link in all romantic comedies, it is chemistry between the leads and thankfully, we have that here. Because this film uses a dose of uncertainty at times with the characters, these don’t seem like the usual genre roles, but in the end, the two work fine in the leads and the actors ensure that. Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan seem well matched from the start, with a certain brand of chemistry, but they also handle the subtle portions of their roles well. Ryan (You’ve Got Mail, French Kiss) is a staple of the romance genre and there’s a good reason, as she is wonderful in these films. She has a charm that relates well in the genre and in the end, she might not be the best actress out there, but she does rule the romantic flicks. I’ve always liked Baldwin (Beetlejuice, Malice), so whether as a nice guy or a total creep, I’ve liked to watch his roles over the years. Here is no exception and in truth, I think this is one of his better roles. The cast also includes Patty Duke (Valley of the Dolls, The Goddess), Richard Riehle (Office Space, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo), Kathy Bates (Titanic, At Play In The Fields of The Lord), Stanley Tucci (Joe Gould’s Secret, A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and Ned Beatty (Deliverance, Ed and His Dead Mother).
Video: How does it look?
Prelude To A Kiss is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Fox has been known for good catalog title transfers and with this release, that tradition continues. Here we have a smooth, sharp image of a film made in 1992, which shows no signs of real problems in the least. The source print is clean and free from grain, which allows the color and contrast to shine through, which they take advantage of. The colors seem natural in scope, but still bright at times, while the flesh tones are normal and consistent also. The black levels are solid and detail is high here, no real complaints with the contrast at all. This is a superb transfer in all respects, let’s hope the other studios start to treat their catalog titles this well.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc includes a Dolby Digital 4.0 track, which handles this material with no problems. I know a 4.0 mix seems strange, but for this type of material, it is more than enough and here, we get a solid audio experience. As you would expect, there isn’t a lot of dynamic audio present, but the basics are well handled and that is what counts here. The music is the most active element in the mix, while the subtle sound effects are also in fine form, very crisp and well balanced overall. The main focus here is the dialogue, which comes across in clean, sharp form and never falters. In the end, this is a good romantic comedy mix, which is more than enough. This disc also includes 2.0 surround tracks in English and French, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
