We decided to take a stab at the new female-buddy comedy “Bridesmaids” from a couple of angles and present a “He said, She said” sort of thing. First up is Courtney….
Director Paul Feig, along with producer Judd Apatow, has found a winning movie formula that audiences have come to be familiar with as well as anticipate. “Bridesmaids” is no exception, falling right in line with the rest of Apatow’s filmography.
Lillian (Maya Rudolph) is getting married to the man of her (semi) dreams and, of course, asks her lifelong friend, Annie (Kristen Wiig, who also co-wrote the script) to serve as maid of honor. With a lineup of mismatched bridesmaids added to the bridal party, shenanigans soon follow. Ellie Kemper (from “The Office”) plays naïve perkiness to its finest, while Rose Byrne is the picture perfect wannabe best friend butting head with Annie while trying to win Lillian’s affection. Wendi McLendon-Covey as Rita and “Gilmore Girls” alum, Melissa McCarthy as the groom-to-be’s sister, Megan both give shock and awe comedic performances that keeps the audience both laughing and cringing at the same time.
Whether the audience is appalled or amused with the sometimes too-easy jokes and gross out humor, Wiig and Rudolph are a dream team duo, playing off of each other well. The scenes which focus on the friendship between the two of them are some of the best of the movie. Rudolph is sweet and sassy while Wiig is a tad rough around the edges, but nails her comic timing. She is the movie’s star, playing a stereotypical down-on-her luck single girl in a very untraditional and sometimes out of control way. Her impromptu romance with laid-back Officer Rhodes (Chris O’Dowd) is odd, yet very sweet. He gives a good balance to the dominantly female cast, being passive but not a pushover. Blending in the background, but not going unnoticed.
The individual scenes playing out all parts of the wedding preparation: shopping for dresses, the plane ride to the bachelorette party, the bridal shower are all played out like individual improvised skits and unfortunately, some plot lines seem to serve as filler. Examples: Jon Hamm as Annie’s sex buddy and the fact that she loves and misses baking cakes. Meanwhile, fans of Wilson Phillips (and who hasn’t belted out “Hold On”?) will be singing as they leave the theater. “Bridesmaids” isn’t a runaway hit, but it’s a breezy, fun summer movie that will appease Apatow fans and hopefully be an indicator of more films to come which spotlight the humorous ups and downs of female friendships in lieu of all things happily ever after.