Music Video
The music video was directed by Brett Ratner, during September 1999. According to Carey, the goal for the video was to mirror the lyrical content of the song, as well as showing it from a female perspective. Additionally, the video was filmed in a comedic fashion, intended to remain something "fun and exciting." The video became one of the most expensive ever made, costing over $2.5 million. Due to its strong female empowering message and nature, the video remains "a fan favorite," according to MTV News. Carey claimed that two films were used as inspirations, Grease and Enter the Dragon. Prior to filming the video, it became clear that Jay-Z would be unable to appear in the video, due to a contractual agreement not allowing him from appearing in a video for two weeks after he shot for "Girl's Best Friend," his track off the soundtrack to the movie "Blue Streak." Carey then thought of creating the animated section in the video, which was quickly drawn and animated by Ratner's team.
The video begins with Carey driving up to a large movie theater with several of her female friends. As they pull up to the front doors, they tell Carey that her boyfriend is inside with another woman, leading her to try to convince them to abort the plan of confrontation. After convincing her, they enter the theater and begin a series of small dance routines alongside some of the theater employees. As the music begins, scenes of them dancing and Carey entering the movie projection room inter-cut. Carey sits behind her boyfriend (played by Jerry O'Connell) and the woman he is cheating with, and spy on them in a comedic way with her female lackeys. Soon after, the still unidentified woman walks towards the bathroom, prompting Carey to follow her during a short interlude in the video. After running into each other by the washroom, the woman appears to be Carey sporting a short brown wig and red seductive clothing. Carey pokes her, starting a large brawl in between the two women. Afterwards, Carey appears to have defeated the woman named Bianca, and heads back towards the movie room. During this scene, Jay-Z's rap verse is played, while an animated clip of Jay-Z and Carey is projected onto the screen. During the verse, Carey's friends begin throwing popcorns and other candies at O'Connell, prompting a small food fight in between them. As they halt their attack on him, Carey walks towards O'Connell's seat and acts as though she is Bianca. After she sits next to him and he notices who it is, Carey spills a large soda on his lap and bids him farewell, leaving the theater with her friends smiling.
Read more about this topic: Heartbreaker (Mariah Carey Song)
Famous quotes containing the words music and/or video:
“The music is in minors.”
—Gwendolyn Brooks (b. 1917)
“We attempt to remember our collective American childhood, the way it was, but what we often remember is a combination of real past, pieces reshaped by bitterness and love, and, of course, the video past—the portrayals of family life on such television programs as “Leave it to Beaver” and “Father Knows Best” and all the rest.”
—Richard Louv (20th century)