The Bachelor (1999)

The Bachelor (1999)

 

3/10

Starring

Chris O’Donnell

Renée Zellweger

Hal Holbrook

James Cromwell

 

Directed by Gary Sinyor

 

You get to see a man willing to do anything to claim the inheritance his grandfather left for him. The condition? He must get married and stay married for a decade to secure the $100 million estate. Nothing screams cliché like this 90s movie, and honestly, how is this even meant to be romantic?

Jimmie (Chris O'Donnell), the man set to inherit the fortune, is willing to marry anyone to keep the money, except commit to Annie (Renée Zellweger), the one person he truly loves. It’s baffling how this movie attempts to position itself as romantic. Cameos from various female actresses, comedians, and musicians follow, as Jimmie scrambles to find a bride, only for all of them to turn him down.

No wonder this movie has a terrible Rotten Tomatoes rating. The writing is awful, the premise is unrealistic, and Jimmie’s choices border on outright stupidity.

The movie revolves around Jimmie and his love for Annie. He craves bachelorhood and never wants to settle down. His determination grows stronger when his friends get married, leaving him single and isolated. Eventually, he proposes to Annie in the most romantic spot in town—but with a botched, thoughtless proposal, Annie says no and begins reconsidering their relationship. Soon after, Jimmie’s grandfather dies, leaving him the estate, contingent on the marriage condition.

From there, Jimmie races against time to find a bride. With a looming deadline, the woman he loves rejecting him, and his inheritance and business at stake, he reaches out to women from his past, hoping one will say yes.

The movie's ending only worsens the absurdity: Jimmie runs through the streets, chased by hundreds of women in wedding dresses, all eager to marry him for his money. Yet, as romantic comedies go, the writers find a way to spin this chaos into a happy ending. Annie returns, delivering one of the most ridiculous speeches to claim her man.

I saw this movie back in the 90s and always wondered why I never revisited it or why I couldn’t remember much about it. Watching it again now, I understand. Some movies are best left as memories. Trying to uncover why my brain blocked out so much of this film has officially ruined my morning and the idea that I had of this movie. It was a waste of time to see it again, and I beg anyone who thinks this is a good movie to see, should find something else to do.