Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- gentle
- wistful
- philosophical
- date night
- thoughtful romance night
What critics said
Critics were divided, with some finding the supernatural romance gentle and moving while others considered the film a clumsy, earthbound adaptation of the stage play.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Rita's body exchange forces Peter to distinguish the person he loves from her visible physical form.
The central relationship is tested when the lovers' bodies no longer straightforwardly correspond to their identities.
Craig Lucas's play supplies the source, while the film's central supernatural situation depends heavily on performance and dialogue.
The body-swap premise produces comic confusion while also giving the relationship an intimate, wistful emotional test.
Films like Prelude to a Kiss, and why
All of Me
supernatural romantic comedy using a body-exchange premise to test intimacy and identity
Wings of Desire
romantic fantasy blending unconventional bodily transformation with questions of love and selfhood
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
thoughtful fantasy romance centered on emotional connection overcoming an impossible physical condition
Movie Details
- Director
- Norman René
- Release Date
- 1992-07-10
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 5.6 / 10 (127)
Cast
- Alec Baldwin
- Meg Ryan
- Kathy Bates
- Ned Beatty
- Patty Duke
- Richard Riehle
- Stanley Tucci
- Sydney Walker
- Rocky Carroll
- Debra Monk
Common questions
- What is Prelude to a Kiss about?
- A newly married couple confronts the meaning of love when a mysterious body exchange makes physical identity impossible to take for granted.
- What is Prelude to a Kiss like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Prelude to a Kiss as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Prelude to a Kiss violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Prelude to a Kiss.
- What did critics think of Prelude to a Kiss?
- Critics were divided, with some finding the supernatural romance gentle and moving while others considered the film a clumsy, earthbound adaptation of the stage play.
- Which films are like Prelude to a Kiss?
- Films with a similar feel include All of Me, Wings of Desire, and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
- How long is Prelude to a Kiss?
- Prelude to a Kiss runs 105 minutes.
