Bridesmaids - Review

To those who still say I don't review enough chick flicks, here's two in a row for you. I guess Bridesmaids isn't really in the same vein as the typical chick flick, as it's not a romantic comedy or really much of a romance movie in general. I've actually heard Bridesmaids described as the female version of The Hangover. Personally, I don't think its quite like that, but there might be some truth there. Nonetheless, all that really matters is whether the movie is entertaining or not. So, is Bridesmaids the breakout comedy of the summer or just another ho-hum chick flick???

Bridesmaids stars SNL-Alum Kristen Wiig as Annie, a love-torn and financially broke middle aged woman doing her best to make it by. After her childhood friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) becomes engaged, Annie is chosen to be her maid of honor. In spite of her personal problems, Annie is determined to be the best maid of honor she can be as she leads a group of colorful and eccentric bridesmaids alongside competing with Lillian's new best friend, Helen (Rose Byrne).

Alright, let's get this out of the way... is Bridesmaids funny? Yeah, it actually is. My expectations for this film were low, not necessarily because it looked bad (I actually hadn't seen any clips or trailers for it), but that it didn't come off as anything more than the typical romcom/chick flick. After watching it though, I'll say this... Bridesmaids actually has less in common with chick flicks and more in common with guy-centered comedies like The Hangover. The movie is full of in-your-face humor complete with gross-out gags, profanity-laden jokes, and sexual-based humor. The catch this time... instead of featuring a group of horny and immature guys, it boasts a cast of eccentric middle-aged women. Basically, its a chick flick that takes a piss on the stereotypical chick flick. It's a funny hook and it works.

In my opinion, in order for a comedy to be successful, it must start with good characters. If you have a group of characters each with their own unique and funny contrasting personality, a good story will usually follow. This is where Bridesmaids hits it's biggest stride. Kristen Wiig as Annie is the lead character and serves as the everyday and relatable figure. You also have the rich and semi-snobby bitch, the naive virgin (okay not quite a virgin, but close enough), the sarcastic and frustrated mom, and the tough butch chick. On top of the personalities being varied and funny, every actress brings their own charm to the role. Make no mistake, whenever the group is on screen together, the movie is hilarious and damn-near flawless.

As funny as the varied cast can be, there is one performer who totally steals the show. Kristen Wiig as Annie shows that she is not only a hilarious comedian but a great actress in general. Her comic timing is spot-on and the way she handles herself with the more dramatic scenes (more on that next) is quite commendable. She is definitely a talented actress, and while her work on SNL definitely got her some prestige, I imagine Bridesmaids will be her big break into stardom.

Bridesmaids scores mainly thanks to it's performances and characters, and while the script is far from bad, it doesn't usually hit as hard as the cast. The title is a bit misleading. A movie called Bridesmaids implies that the focus is on a group of Bridesmaids, but in reality the bridesmaids themselves are actually the supporting story. Instead, a majority of the story is centered around Annie, her life and her dilemmas. With that, you essentially get a comedy-drama with elements of a gross-out comedy. Annie is developed just fine and there's plenty of humor to go around, but some of the more dramatic moments come off as a little off-beat. I felt for Annie's character, and seeing her somewhat-depressing situation get worse and worse as the movie progressed was a bit frustrating to watch. I had similar feelings when I first watched Meet The Parents... they're both funny movies but can be so painful to watch sometimes. Plus, the ending was awfully predictable and at 2 hours and 4 minutes, the movie was about 20 minutes too long. No massive flaws but a noticeable few.

That is about all I have to say about Bridesmaids. I wasn't expecting much out of this one, but it turned out to be a legitimately funny and entertaining movie. If you can stomach some crude and sometimes gross humor, I'd definitely check this one out.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5!