It seems that critics and audiences really love “Bridesmaids,” and I’m one of the only people who was underwhelmed by the movie.
The studio, creators, and cast have been marketing the film as if it’s the “female version of ‘The Hangover’” so I went into the theater expecting to see an ensemble cast get caught up in some far-fetched, incredibly crude hijinks. Instead, I got a chick flick hybrid of a Judd Apatow/Paul Feig film.
Chosen to be her best friend's maid of honor, Annie, played by Kristen Wiig, looks to fake her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals that lead up to Lillian’s wedding. The oddball group of bridesmaids includes the eccentric groom’s sister Megan (Melissa McCarthy), the bride’s married yet love-starved cousin (Wendy McLendon-Covey), Lillian’s innocent and newlywed co-worker (Ellie Kemper), and Lillian’s perfect-in-every way boss, Helen (Rose Byrne).
Scenes that featured the rest of the bridal party got the most laughs in the theater, and rang true to the Hangover comparisons. Most notable was the dress fitting scene, where the entire group (except Helen) gets food poisoning while wearing expensive dresses at the bridal salon. In a normal chick flick you wouldn’t see the women vomiting, and going to the bathroom in a sink, or in the middle of the street while wearing a wedding dress. If the Wiig and co-writer Annie Mumalo had written more scenes like this, I think “Bridesmaids” would have been a monumental step for women in comedy.
Instead, Wiig and Mumalo erred on the side of caution and marketability by including a whole love interest subplot. The chemistry between Wiig and O’Dowd is believable, and would enhance the story in a conventional chick flick, but it seems out of place in a movie that aspires to be cutting-edge. “Bridesmaids” is a great starring vehicle for Wiig, but the best parts of the movie were those that showcased the talents of McLendon-Covey and Kemper. Additionally, Rose Byrne was heavily underutilized as mega-bitch Helen.
It wasn’t quite in line with Apatow and Feig’s uber-successful comedies, but at least we’re making progress from rom-coms like “He’s Just Not That Into You.”
