Prelude to a Kiss (Widescreen)

Peter Hoskins (Alec Baldwin) cannot pinpoint his attraction to Rita Boyle (Meg Ryan). She has a pessimistic view on life and she has many strange quirks, including never being able to sleep. And yet the two inevitably fall in love and it seems that Peter has found the perfect happiness when Rita agrees to marry him. Yet on their wedding day, a mysterious Old Man (Sydney Walker) comes to the wedding reception and wishing to kiss the bride, Rita allows him to. An innocent kiss, but it wasn't in the slightest. On their honeymoon, Peter cannot get rid of the feeling that Rita is NOT the Rita he knew. Outwardly she is the same, but Peter knows she really isn't. What has happened?

"Prelude to a Kiss" is for one thing, NOT a romantic/comedy. It is a romance/drama/fantasy since it deals with many supernatural elements. Oh, and another thing, the story isn't really about the 'prelude' of 'a' kiss, it is the prelude AND aftermath of 'the' kiss.

My biggest problem with the story is that it really doesn't seem to flow very well. The pace is slow, from the very beginning where you feel that it might pick up. Unfortunately though, the end is rather luke-warm and just doesn't have the power I expected it to have. Another problem is the sexual content. In my opinion, true love can be better expressed by the main characters NOT having sex. Come on, the best classic romance stories are those where the guy and the girl DON'T have to have sex to show their love and attraction for each other.

It's true that the theme of love is pretty well handled. Before the wedding, the viewers cannot really see if they two main characters are really 'in love' per say. There is an attraction between the two, yet you're not sure if it's love. But after the wedding and the 'occurrence' happens, watchers can see that the two were meant for each other, for their love had passed a crucial test.

The acting is pretty well done, mostly by Alec Baldwin. There is one VERY emotional scene where his character faces the 'fake' Rita and cries straight from his heart for the other to tell him where Rita is. It was an extremely well done and powerful scene, you couldn't help but cry out together with Peter. That has got to be one of the best acting scenes done by Alec Baldwin in my opinion. Meg Ryan is also good as a slightly neurotic and flighty woman who finds love in steady and straigh-forward Peter. She still walks funny though...

Anyway, "Prelude to a Kiss" is a very mediocre film. Should be watched for die-hard Baldwin and Ryan fans. But if not, the movie can be easily passed over for some better romance classics. Some Baldiwn or Ryan movie recommendations are