Communication 5: Name, Institution, Course, Date ✓ Solved

COMMUNICATION 5 Communication Name: Institution: Course: Date

The movie, My Best Friend’s Wedding is really fascinating and equally educative. Set in the genre of a romantic comedy, the film is not only entertaining but also serves as an ideal date movie. Released on June 20, 1997, and directed by Paul John “P.J. Hogan, the movie received wide viewership along with positive reviews, especially among key critics in the industry, and consequently becoming a global box-office hit at the time. Besides, the plot was well planned and also managed sufficiently and in the process, conveying the theme in a more convincing manner. The movie stars include Julia Roberts as Julianne, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz as Kimmy, and Rupert Everett as George, among others.

The storyline is mainly based on the rather long-term relationship between Julianne and Michael, who are known to each other since their college days. There are a number of concepts linked to an effective communication suitably incorporated throughout the unfolding scenarios. In this case, the analysis of the movie will focus on the ideals of verbal messages, nonverbal messages, emotional messages, and the self-concept, as represented in the movie. To start with, the overall message or rather the underlying theme of the film strategically lies on the kind of relationship that existed between the two key actors in the movie, i.e., Michael and Julianne. As a matter of fact, and based on the plot and in a bid to effectively convey the message, the movie employs a number of techniques, including verbal messages and nonverbal messages in different twists right from its beginnings.

As the name of the movie suggests, the best friend, in this case, was Michael to Julianne. The relationship or rather friendship apparently started and flourished during and after their college days. Michael and Julianne were in an intimate relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend while in college. Along the way, however, Julianne would dump Michael as her boyfriend while still in college but made him as her new best friend. In the real world, the experience would definitely lead to heartbreak, and in this case, the victim, that is, Michael.

Essentially, these are some of the unspoken feelings that result from similar incidents though to some extent, the other party may comprehend the consequences. In order to sustain their friendship, they made an agreement that if they reached 28 while still single, then they would marry each other. This clearly shows that “it is better to love and lost than never to have loved at all.” Essentially, the pact they made to each other is a clear indication that something was still unresolved. The major modes of communication are mostly exemplified through verbal and nonverbal messages. In this case, nonverbal communication does not necessarily take place through bodily expressions such as gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions, among others (HelpGuide.org, 2020). The pact was simply a signal that they still meant a lot to each other.

In the early beginnings of the movie, both the characters were approaching the agreed date of marrying each other. By then, the two were separated by distance as Michael was away in Chicago. At some moments, while still in Chicago, Michael had made attempts to reach Julianne and always left messages to call him back. Through his insistence, Julianne was touched and wondered why the urgency. By simply being touched by his persistence, Julianne called back, and the news she received drove her crazy. Based on the developments, it was quite clear that Julianne still held some feelings for Michael. Her decision to call Michael back was perhaps driven by her perception that Michael lived by the agreement they had made earlier on. Unfortunately, Michael was not calling to propose to her but instead explained that he was now engaged and ready to be married in the next three days.

Again, the information she received clearly denotes a direct signal that Michael meant a lot to Julianne. The news and the apparent change of events were definitely devastating to Julianne as she immediately embarked on a plan to meet Michael as soon as possible. To some larger extents, the concept of the self is noticeably based on Julianne’s reaction after she received the news that Michael was indeed getting married. Also commonly referred to as self-identity or self-perspective, a person’s self-concept is simply a set of beliefs regarding him/herself (Cherry, 2020). In this respect, the concept can be used to denote the image one has for him or herself.

As such, the manner in which the person sees him or herself and the extent to which he or she values him/herself embodies the self. Based on the movie, every character had their preserved images and esteem in the view of their immediate surroundings. In this case, for instance, Julianne had significantly advanced in her field to become among the celebrated food critics in the region. In the view of this perspective, what greatly overwhelmed her was that Michael, her best friend, and her once boyfriend, was being married to Kimmy, a junior at the University of Chicago. To her assumption, the only advantage Kimmy had over her was that her father was a rich person.

Most certainly, Julianne’s plans were to sabotage the wedding and, in the process, being able to win back the man she felt she should have married all along. George, her editor and also a close friend, got a glimpse of Julianne’s feelings as they are out on dinner and a meeting. Once she landed to meet Michael, his fiancée also showed up at the airport where they warmly embraced and started to get along. At this point, however, Julianne had a clear objective on her visit, and she had to have an appropriate strategy to achieve it. After subsequent introductions to each other, Kimmy suggested to Julianne that she was going to be their maid of honor.

In one way or the other, this also upset Julianne, and she decided to get along with the plans by simply putting on a happy face and destroying from within. The subsequent developments into the story would bring the overall issue into the limelight. In view of the fact that Julianne had personally admitted that her image had indeed been compromised, she decided to embrace a new approach to bring the matter to the point. In one incident, for example, she sought George for some advice and even invited him to meet Michael. Nevertheless, George also had his intentions, and during a dinner organized by the bride, he acted as Julianne’s fiancée upon her request.

However, towards the final hour where she needed to express her love to Michael, things turned worse after Kimmy found them kissing. After a chase where Michael was after Kimmy while Julianne was after Michael, they met in the place where Michael had proposed to Kimmy. It was at this point that Julianne apologized to Michael, an incident that conveyed an emotional message to him. Indeed, it is true that “life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.”

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The movie "My Best Friend's Wedding" serves as a rich narrative that illustrates various concepts of communication, particularly focusing on verbal messages, nonverbal messages, emotional messages, and the self-concept of the characters involved. From the outset, the film's exploration of Julianne and Michael's relationship establishes a foundation for understanding how their past deeply influences their present dynamics and decisions.

Initially, viewers witness the intricacies of Julianne and Michael's friendship which have roots in their college days. The film’s opening scenes cleverly showcase their close bond and the initial romantic involvement between them. However, Julianne's decision to break off the romantic relationship while maintaining their friendship complicates their communication, as both characters navigate their feelings in the shadow of unfulfilled promises and expectations (Munns, 2020). Their agreement to marry if both remain single by age 28 introduces verbal commitments that weigh heavily on both characters throughout the film.

As the plot develops, the viewer sees just how much the concept of self-identity influences Julianne's actions. Her initial reaction to Michael's engagement signals the conflict between her self-concept and the reality of her situation. Psychological studies suggest the impact of self-concept on decision-making and interpersonal relationships (Cherry, 2020). This psychological backdrop enriches the understanding of Julianne’s internal struggles as she grapples with jealousy, guilt, and a desire to ultimately reclaim her lost love.

Moreover, nonverbal communication plays a pivotal role in the film. The expressions, gestures, and body language exhibited by Julianne throughout critical moments reveal her conflicted emotions far more than her words convey. For example, during her interactions with Kimmy, her facial expressions oscillate between forced smiles and genuine discomfort, conveying deeper sentiments (HelpGuide.org, 2020). This nonverbal communication amplifies the tension and reveals Julianne's authentic feelings, which she struggles to articulate verbally.

Julianne’s unexpected journey to Chicago to confront Michael following the news of his engagement is a turning point that showcases the film's exploration of emotional messages. Julianne's emotional turmoil leads her to attempt to sabotage the wedding in an effort to salvage her past relationship. In doing so, she is forced to confront the very feelings she had attempted to suppress, a situation that reveals the potency of emotional messages in influencing relationships (Hinde, 2019). Her ensuing efforts to win back Michael, including seeking guidance from George, further underscore how communication can sometimes become misguided when intertwined with emotional distress.

The climax of the film revolves around a confrontation at the wedding where Julianne's emotional vulnerability finally surfaces, leading to an authentic expression of her feelings for Michael. The culmination of her journey reveals an emotional message that transcends traditional spoken language: the sentiment that love can exist in varied forms, and that relationships are complex and multifaceted. The film adeptly captures the essence of this emotional exchange, demonstrating how genuine human connections can often exist alongside miscommunication.

Ultimately, "My Best Friend's Wedding" leaves audiences contemplating the nature of love, friendship, and the various channels through which they communicate. The film suggests that understanding oneself is critical to relating to others, as evidenced by Julianne’s eventual realization of her emotional truth and her acceptance of reality. Through the exploration of verbal, nonverbal, and emotional messages, and the impact of self-concept, the film transmits poignant lessons about the complexities of human interactions.

References

• Cherry, K. (2020). What is self-concept? Psychology Today.
• HelpGuide.org. (2020). Nonverbal Communication and Body Language.
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