Movies Reviews

Bridesmaids – Movie Review

By Anne Brodie May 14, 2011, 16:24 GMT

Annie (Kristen Wiig), is a maid of honor whose life unravels as she leads her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), and a group of colorful bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) on a wild ride down the road to matrimony. ...more

Look out boys, the baddest bridesmaids are in town and they’re nursing a lot of grudges!  It’s payback time in Kristen Wiig’s stunningly funny snapshot of a pre- wedding party gone wild.  It’s almost unbelievable that a film about women as coarse, foul mouthed, potty focused and raucous as this has been made.  It’s about time.  Bridesmaids is straight ahead R-rated comic women’s lib and it’s sublime.

Wiig is phenomenally talented as a writer and comedienne; she’s confident enough as Annie to look awful and behave worse and skilled enough to make the most of each comic opportunity.  Her timing is impeccable and her awkwardly charming movement is unique; she reminds me of Charlie Chaplin. Wiig is a revelation and my new fave comedienne.

Wiig is also smart enough to surround herself with rock solid supporting talent, from Molly and Mike’s Melissa McCarthy – who looks strangely like Ricky Gervais’ twin - as Megan, who suggests a Fight Club themed shower, to co-writer Annie Mumolo’s comic turn as a nervous airline passenger and Matt Lucas and Rebel Wilson as twin roommates. 

Maya Rudolph is Lillian the bride in question, who has asked Annie to organize events around her wedding; they’re lifelong best friends and although Annie’s clearly lacking in skills necessary to do this job, loyalty is the standard.  Lillian takes a leap of faith that comes back to bite her in the rear.

Rose Byrne is Lillian’s new friend Helen and she’s’ seething with jealousy that Annie’s been picked.  She’s a born party planner and she’s’ a tad fixated on Lillian.  Helen’s competitive spirit sparks Annie’s and the two of them begin a dance of spite and one-upmanship that can take them nowhere but down.  It gets really ugly and yet never compromises the films considerable charm.

Annie takes the bridesmaids to a festive lunch at a local Brazilian restaurant, a hole in the wall that’s as colorful as it is dangerous.  Next stop – the bridal shop where the girls reach the natural end of their stomach’s battles with Brazilian mystery chicken.   It’s an ugly scene set against the pristine white of the store, and it’s deliriously funny.   So, Annie fails her first job as wedding planner; she poisons the party.

When Annie’s not being evicted from her apartment or being fired from her jewelry store job for her candor, she’s hooking up with Ted  (John Hamm – uncredited) a cad who tells her she’s number three on his casual sex list and she doesn’t back away!

There are too many set pieces and subplots to describe here.   The film moves at a brisk pace and never drops its comic brilliance for a moment as it weaves together the threads that make it up.  Even though there’s so much to watch and it’s fairly long, attention never wanes.
Bridesmaids is a superbly executed comedy that tells a lot of truths and doesn’t hide from the treachery of women (and men) when put together in small rooms.  The beauty of it is that it’s so well written that it feels okay and we emerge with hope and a big smile.

Comparisons to The Hangover films are accurate.  Men can run riot and so can women and in the end lessons can be learned and the ties that bind can still be in place.

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35mm comedy
Written by Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo
Directed by Paul Feig
Opens May 13
Runtime 125 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for some strong sexuality, and language throughout
Country: USA
Language: English