Movie Review: Bridesmaids

I didn't have this on my list of films to see at all. However, somebody I knew thought it was hilarious so I looked it up on the Net and discovered Rotten Tomatoes gave it 89%. Eighty-nine percent? What!?! Well, surprise, surprise. It turned out to be pretty good. One review called it a chick flick but with a bite. I thought it had enough for both sexes so guys, don't roll your eyes if you get hauled into the theatre.

The film stars Kristen Wiig who you should recognise from the latest Saturday Night Live line-up but I also mention this as she did double duty as a co-writer of the film along with Annie Mumolo. Unlike her over the top and sometimes obnoxious SNL stuff, I was quite taken with a role showing more depth and opportunities to act. Hey, not bad; I see a future for Ms. Wiig.

All in all, it was a comedy romance that had a little of everything: the funny, the gross, the sweet, and the over the top guffaw. However unlike some of the other comedies like Hot Tub Time Machine or Hangover 2, it seemed to be lacking in that characteristic which drags a lot of comedy films down: it wasn't "stupid".

The plot is simple so this won't be a spoiler. Kristen Wiig plays Annie who's down on her luck and whose life plays as comedic fodder for the first part of the film. Annie's best friend who is getting married asks Annie to be her maid of honour and the rest of the film revolves around the preparations for the wedding including those thing women do together: lunch, trying on dresses (who knew that could turn out to be so gross!), and attempting to have a bachelorette party.

Jill Clayburgh
In reading about this film, I discovered that this was the last role for Jill Clayburgh. She died on November 5, 2010 from leukemia at the young age of 66. I am sadden by her departure and wanted to add how much I have appreciated her work over the years. If you don't know this actress, I am sure you will recognise her face as she has appeared not just in a number of films but in television. She was nominated twice for an Academy Award for her films An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over. Both are terrific movies and I would advise anybody to see them.

Final Word
The bunch of them walk into the bridal shop and Melissa McCarthy as Megan makes an enormous and horrible sounding eructation (look it up!) then says, "I want to apologise. I'm not even confident of which end that came out of." (This is in the trailer) Okay, that's an example of the gross. But wait, it gets even funnier after that and I mean a whole lot funnier.

Hey, I enjoyed this. As I said in the beginning, I wasn't going to see this. I had seen the posters but had dismissed it completely. Well, based on the recommendation of somebody else and the rating from Rotten Tomatoes, it turns out I was not disappointed. It's a pretty good film; I never would have guessed. My recommendation: go see it; you'll have a good laugh.


References

Rotten Tomatoes: Bridesmaids: 90%
A marriage of genuine characters, gross out gags, and pathos, Bridesmaids is a female-driven comedy that refuses to be boxed in as Kristen Wiig emerges as a real star.

Wikipedia: Bridesmaids
Bridesmaids is a 2011 American comedy directed by Paul Feig and produced by Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, and Clayton Townsend. The plot centers on Annie (Kristen Wiig) and her experiences as maid of honor in Lillian's (Maya Rudolph) wedding. Bridesmaids was produced by Apatow Productions and was released by Universal Pictures on May 13, 2011. It marked the final appearance of Jill Clayburgh, who died of leukemia in November 2010 before the film was released.

2011-06-14

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