BRIDESMAIDS – Reviewed by Will

Bridesmaids more or less delivers what it promises–it is essentially just another of the now-classic Apatow-esque “bromantic” raunchfests, this time with the clever innovation of not having any “bros.” I consider this a welcome breath of fresh air, though it certainly can’t be called a major reinvention of the American comedy. It’s not altogether inaccurate to call this movie “The Hangover with women.” The single strongest element, in my book at least, is Bridesmaids‘ lead actress, Kristen Wiig. Her performance has a charm and surprising subtlety, especially considering her manic SNL roots. She plays Annie, a broke and beleaguered thirtysomething already in the midst of a great downswing in her life’s fortunes. She is startled when her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) announces her impending marriage and asks her to be the Maid of Honor. It soon appears, however, she has competition for the choice spot in Helen (Rose Byrne), Lillian’s beautiful and upper-class new friend.

What ensues is Annie’s struggle to fend off the threat of being upstaged and outspent by Helen, while simultaneously working to reassemble the crumbling shards of her life. There is also a heavy dose of the requisite gross-out comedy, usually involving the other bridesmaids, particularly Megan (Mike & Molly‘s Melissa McCarthy, an actress who seems to breed alliteration wherever she goes). This is exemplified by a sequence mid-way through the film involving food poisoning, which certainly won’t appeal to everyone. In addition to everything else, Annie of course has romantic troubles, from her non-starter liaisons with Jon Hamm‘s quintessential jerk to her promising but self-sabotaged relationship with good-natured cop Chris O’Dowd.

Despite what some critics have said, Bridesmaids really doesn’t represent a revolution for American comedy, but it is a well-above-average example of the current pattern of R-rated, raunchy but sweet fare. It meanders on the way to its (mostly predictable) destination, but it’s always anchored by its stars’ sharp performances, particularly Wiig’s. – [DVD] [Blu-Ray]

Comedy

Rated R

DVD Release Date: 9/20/11