Don’t let the promo posters of frilly looking women, clad in pink gowns fool you. Kristen Wiig’s new project, “Bridesmaids,” is a wedding movie even a man can love.
Starring a stellar cast of relatively new comedic actresses, the “Bridesmaids” team of misfits is comprised of Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, and Mellisa McCarthy, each with her own quirky personality. The cast comes together quite nicely to form one of the funniest films of the year.
The movie follows Wiig’s character, Annie, as she is thrust into the world of weddings after being named her best friend, Maya Rudolph’s maid of honor.
Tempers flare and claws come out when Annie butts heads with Lillian’s controlling, super rich, super pretty friend, Helen. Much of the movie’s comedic value comes from the lengths Wiig’s character goes to win Helen’s comradely.
There’s not much to be said about Annie’s life outside of wedding planning. With more-than-weird roommates, a dead-end job and a joke of a boyfriend, John Hamm, Annie’s life is anything but stable.
If Murphy’s Law were ever real, a good example of it is demonstrated as Annie’s life crumbles away before her eyes as she desperately tries to keep it all together.
It would be frivolous to try and explain the plot line of “Bridesmaids” as there is just too much going on. Director Paul Fieg was brave in tackling such a broad storyline; with the plethora of events surrounding Annie’s life, it would have been too easy for “Bridesmaids” to become a convoluted mess that was hard to follow.
However, Fieg somehow managed to pack a compelling romantic yet still hilarious, story into all but two hours.
The movie’s obvious standout is its star, Kristin Wiig. Lacking in movie credits, the “Saturday Night Live” star doesn’t let her inexperience show as she demands attention every time she is in frame.
Using her experience in television, Wiig’s quick wit and quirky personality is put to good use in “Bridesmaids.”
Casting directors were smart to pair Wiig with her former television co-star Maya Rudolph. The duo’s friendship is as genuine on screen as it is off.
The best part of “Bridesmaids” is that it never passes up the opportunity to laugh from dress shopping to a tennis match, even to the subject of littering.
“Bridesmaids” delivers solid jokes at a quick pace. That is what makes this movie so enjoyable, it is perhaps the first female-driven film that is not afraid to make a fart joke, and for that, it should be commended.
“Bridesmaids” doesn’t take itself too seriously, and portrays weddings as they are, a crazy part in anyone’s life who isn’t the bride. While Wiig shines as Annie, the movie would be nothing without the supporting cast that compiles the rest of the bridal party.
Each character could have easily been the focus of the film, besides Ellie Kemper’s Becca, who was flat and boring. While Kemper may have been bland, her co-star, Melissa McCarthy was quite the opposite.
I’ve got to be honest, I did not walk into “Bridesmaids,” expecting to fall in love with a character as I did with McCarthy’s Megan.
As the sister of the groom, Megan is a polo wearing, brash talking woman who gives the movie room to breathe when some of the drama heightens.
Toward the end of the film (without giving too much away) McCarthy’s character has a much bigger part than the trailers lead you to believe. While she may be a walking punch line, McCarthy’s character is anything but shallow.
“Bridesmaids” will be the summer sweetheart film. Capitalizing on Wiig’s rise to fame, the movie makes weddings funny again.
“Bridesmaids” opens nationwide May 13.