Review of the Films: Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids is 2011 comedy film directed by Paul Feig with a screenplay by Annie Mumolo and former Saturday Night Live cast member Kristen Wiig. The film focuses on an upcoming wedding and the turmoil that surrounds the bridesmaids and the bride to be.

With a title like Bridesmaids, viewers might expect a chick flick. At times the chick flick element does come out in the film, but most of the time the movie abstains from those types of cliches. Instead audiences are treated to a virtually all female ensemble that is edgy and hilarious.

Bridesmaids also has substance too, pulling a rare combination of depth and comedy into the same movie. Pulling off this difficult feat is probably why the film received two Academy Award nominations (Best Original Screenplay and Best Support Actress for Melissa McCarthy). Sure to be a comedy classic Bridesmaids is one of the funniest comedies in years.

Rating: A 9.4/10

Bridesmaids centers around Annie Walker, who's best and life-long friend Lillian Donovan has just gotten engaged. Lillian asks Annie to be her Maid of Honor, which means she will be extensively involved in planning a lot the events in the wedding.

Although Annie and Lillian are best friends there lives are heading in two very different directions. Lillian is on her way up in the world as she is marrying a wealthy banker who is doing very well for himself. Annie is on a downward spiral, her bakery failed and she now works at a Jewelry shop and lives with a bizarre brother and sister couple who immigrated to the U.S.

Annie is introduced to Lillian's other bridesmaids: Megan who is Lillian's tomboyish sister-in-law, Becca who is Lillian's idealistic friend, Rita who is Lillian's cynical cousin, and Helen who is Lillian's new best friend and the trophy wife of Lillian's fiance's boss. Helen and Annie immediately begin a rivalry that is carried on throughout the film for Lillian's affection.

Bridesmaids is a movie that mixes some over the top humor with a lot of subtle humor and awkward exchanges. The interplay between these types of scenes drives the energy of the film, and allows people who enjoy each style of humor to get into the movie.

Each of the bridesmaids in the film is based off a kind of stereotype personality, which means you probably know someone like each of the bridesmaids in the film. At the same time the film avoids a lot of cliches or pitfalls that can be set up having these types of characters.

Acting in the film seems natural and genuine, and the ensemble cast really works well with one another. The actresses in the film are not only really funny, but they are also able to pull off some very emotional scenes with each other. That was a surprise since these are all actresses that are mostly associated with being comedic and not dramatic.

Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig each get a special nod for acting in this film. McCarthy is the scene stealer and easily the funniest character in the film. Her character is over the top, but she is still very engaging. Kristen Wiig's sense of humor revolves around subtly. Her timing and gestures are perfect, and add to a lot of the underlying subtle humor that can be found throughout the film. She's also great at making scenes feel incredibly awkward or tense.

Overall this is a great film but their are some opportunities that the film missed out on in terms of plot predictability and character development.

Predictability in movies can be frustrating and annoying, but comedies can be the exception... sometimes. This film falls under the category of sometimes. Due to the realism shown in a lot of the characters, a more realistic and less predictable plot line could have better served the more dramatic aspects of this film.

Instead it's not difficult to guess how the film is going to end. With such a well written comedy viewers could hope for a better ending, but instead they get a predictable one, which was irritating.

Another issue is Becca and Rita, they were characters that had great potential, but could have benefited if their characters had been developed more. Each of them are coming from interesting living situations, and they have opposite personalities; the cynic and the optimist. The door seemed open for each character to expand by the midpoint in the film, but this is never realized and eventually the door is closed.

This is a great movie for friends, couples, families (not with young children), or if you're looking to entertain yourself for a night. Bridesmaids shifts from awkward exchanges for people who tend to enjoy subtle humor more, to over the top scenes that tend to cater people who enjoy a more slapstick style of humor.

The funny characters, the carefully crafted screenplay, and the excellent performances by the cast make this one of the best comedies to come out in years. The near exclusive use of an all female ensemble still creates a movie that can be universally appreciated and loved by anyone. Bridesmaids comes highly recommended to virtually all adults who are looking to laugh at a great movie for a few hours.