Release Date: 5/13/11
Kristen Wiig is hands down the funniest female comedian of our time. It was obvious in Paul, when she played a Christian do-gooder-turned-potty mouth, and even more so as the main character, Annie, in Bridesmaids. Annie has hit close to rock bottom when her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph) tells her she’s engaged and asks her to be the maid of honor. Annie of course says yes, while she has just lost her business, can’t afford her rent, has a real shitty car, and dates Ted, the most egotistical man to ever live, played by Jon Hamm (hilarious as the asshole).
Annie is introduced to the bridal party – a slew of women who are all extremely different in their own right. Rose Byrne (Get Him to the Greek, Wicker Park) plays Helen, the maid of honor wannabe, who is constantly trying to prove that she would be a better maid of honor and that she is closer with Lillian than Annie can ever be. Helen is the pretty bitch everyone wants to hate but can’t because in the end, she’s really just lonely and wants to be liked (well, maybe it is possible to still kind of hate her). Melissa McCarthy is Becca, and OMG is she hilarious. I’ve only known McCarthy from Gilmore Girls. I wasn’t an avid watcher but always thought she was hilarious in the show. She’s also in Mike and Molly, which I’ve never seen, but now am definitely interested. She is the groom’s sister, and completely inappropriate at all times. Ellie Kemper is Becca, the same exact character that she is on The Office. She’s married to the only man she’s ever had sex with and she’s completely innocent and prude in every way. Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey) is the exact opposite. She is also married, with three boys, and all she talks about it sex.
The movie focuses mostly on Annie and her relationship with Lillian, with men, and with herself – the other bridesmaids have much smaller roles. Wiig plays a wonderfully flawed character. She gets hammered on the flight to Vegas for the bachelorette party because she’s afraid of flying and won’t stay in her seat. The flight attendant, Steve, continually tells her to sit down, but she gets belligerent and reads his nametag thinking his name is Stove: “What kind of name is that? That’s not a name, it’s an appliance.” She then tells him that it’s her right to walk to around, and welcomes him to the 90’s. He reminds her that it is NOT the 90’s. She later tells off a 13-year-old girl for no real reason, has a major meltdown at the bridal shower, and cuts the only nice guy in her life, out.
The nice guy is Rhodes, played by Chris O’Dowd (Dinner for Schmucks, Pirate Radio). Rhodes is a sweetheart of a police officer who wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s nerdy and cute and it’s impossible not to love him. O’Dowd and Wiig had great chemistry and it was a nice surprise because I wasn’t expecting the movie to revolve so much around her relationship with him.
As far as comedies go, Bridesmaids is definitely the funniest thus far in 2011. Grab a bag of carrots and watch with a friend.
IMDB 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes 89%
Movie Wiseguys 8.0/10
