I had very high expectations for Bridemaids and I am happy to report that the film met, and even exceeded these expectations. I haven't laughed so hard in a movie theater since The 40 Year Old Virgin--a movie I tend to compare other comedies against. Bridesmaids is being hailed as one of the few comedies with a predominantly female cast that gets right balance of raunch and heart--and I personally feel that director Paul Feig, writers Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, and producer Judd Apatow hit the bullseye with this one.
Here are a few reasons why I loved this movie so much:
1) It isn't really about weddings.
Sure, Bridesmaids is about a woman whose best friend from childhood is getting married and all the wacky shenanigans that occur during the pre-wedding activities. But this plot is secondary to the overarching themes of the film: 1) Female friendships and jealousy, 2) Getting your life back on track when everything has gone to shit, 3) Learning to respect yourself. While other wedding movies are about, well, weddings, Bridesmaids is about so much more.
2) The movie gets women, and more importantly, respects women--even when those women are behaving terribly.
God, this is so important to me. There are so many freaking movies out there, supposedly "by and for" women, that are just complete shit. They make women look like shrews, control freaks, wedding-obsessed, baby-obsessed, man-hungry, you name it. I want to make clear that I understand the need for mindless entertainment and I know these films aren't real, but the fact of the matter is, movies like The Ugly Truth do not respect women (or men) and do not take women (or men) seriously. These movies follow the path of least resistance and appeal to the lowest common denominator. And movie moguls are shocked--shocked!--when they don't do well in theaters.
Bridesmaids ain't perfect. The movie isn't outrageously unique or feminist, but I felt that it allowed women to just be women. Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and the others, for one thing, look real--with wrinkles, curves, normal hair, etc. They are not bland, indistinguishable starlets--they're actresses who look like actual people on the street. For another thing, the emotions the characters experience (jealously when an old friend makes a new friend; ambivalence toward a sex partner who is hot, but treats you like crap; refusing to admit you made a mistake, etc) are emotions EVERYONE WITH FEELINGS has experienced. And even though the characters come off as ridiculous, petty, or manipulative, Bridesmaids validates these feelings and offers real solutions. There are other movies where the love of a good man (or woman) is enough to turn the heroine (or hero) around, but Bridesmaids doesn't offer pat answers. There's a scene in the film where one character, Megan, kind of starts wrestling with Annie (Wiig), who is hitting rock bottom in life. Megan says to Annie "I'm your shitty life. I'm trying to make you fight for your shitty life". It's a silly scene, but it makes a great point: Annie is at rock bottom not because a man doesn't love her, or because she's not rich, but because she made bad choices and then just gave up. The solution isn't to find a man or get a new job--it's to "fight back". To fight for self-respect and to be grateful for the things she does have. This is one of the most positive and realistic messages I've seen in a mainstream film in a while. It's not unlike The 40 Year Old Virgin (and other Judd Apatow films, which I will defend to the death), in that Andy's problem isn't that he needs to get laid, but that he needs to be open to life and embrace the person he is. Wiig's character Annie is the same way--she's the one responsible for her problems, and she needs to "be the solution" as well. And Bridesmaids reassures us: it's ok to be a fuck-up. That's normal, and life can get better if you want it to and are willing to work for it.
3) The comedic performances are brilliant.
Bridesmaids has a great cast. Not everyone is a fan of Wiig, and I understand why. She seems to play the same character over and over on SNL. But in Bridesmaids, I found her character to be relatable, funny, and three-dimensional. I know it might be a controversial opinion, but I think Wiig can act when given the right material (and since she wrote the screenplay, I would hope that this is the right material for her!). Maya Rudolph is understated and sweet as Annie's best friend, Lillian, who is happy and excited to be engaged, but also mourning her single life and single apartment. Rose Byrne plays Helen, Lillian's "perfect" new best friend who comes across as a manipulative friend-stealer, but redeems herself in the end (that's another great thing about this movie--the "bad girl" isn't punished, but forgiven and accepted as she is. What a freakin' concept! Did Jesus write this movie?!)
All of the supporting actors are hilarious. Jon Hamm has a plum role as Annie's occasional sex partner (can't really call him a "friend with benefits" since he's hardly a friend at all), Ted, who is hot and rich, but immature and treats Annie like a blow-up doll. Melissa McCarthy plays Megan, the groom's outspoken, plus-size sister. Where Megan could have easily been fodder for fat jokes, the writers (and McCarthy, who is awesome) elevate her character. Megan is the voice of reason--and one of the few characters who has her life together. She also gets some of the best lines. The bridal party is rounded out by Ellie Kemper from The Office as a sweet, innocent newlywed with a Disney obsession and Wendi McLendon-Covey from Reno 911! as a cynical married woman with a vulgar sense of humor and dismissive attitude toward her three sons and husband. There's also Annie's other, better love interest--Officer Rhodes, a mind-bogglingly cute Irish cop who actually cares about Annie as a person. The cast works well together and is just a delight to watch.
4) This is my kind of humor.
I have a thing for raunchy comedies--the raunchier, the better. However, I only like dirty comedies if 1) the jokes are actually good and not just some phoned-in bullshit, and 2) The movie has a heart. This is probably why films such as Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, and the above-mentioned 40 Year Old Virgin appeal to me. They're outrageous, clever, and absurd, but they're about relationships. And they're not mean. This is important. I hate mean comedies. I just can't get into It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and have tired of Family Guy for this reason--while these shows are definitely funny, they leave me feeling down. Don't get me wrong, I do have a taste for dark humor--but dark humor is an art. Meanness is just laziness. Bridesmaids has some over-the-top humor, including a scene where the gals all get horrible food poisoning while trying on fancy bridesmaid dresses. And yes, there are endless four-letter words and descriptions of sex. But the jokes feel fresh, and the sex talk feels like an actual conversation I'd have with a friend. Bridesmaids made me laugh until I had tears in my eyes, but left me feeling upbeat about life. It pokes fun at the characters but doesn't eviscerate them.
Overall, I have to say that Bridesmaids is one of the best movies I've seen this year, and definitely one of the best comedies I've seen in a looong time. It may not appeal to everyone, but I would recommend that everyone go see it and give it a chance. Female-led movies need your support, and this is a good one. If you are a woman, if you have a woman you love in your life, or, hell, if you just like comedies--go see it. You probably won't regret it.
5 out of 5 stars
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