FILM: BRIDESMAIDS

BRIDESMAIDS (2011)

A solid Kristen Wiig-driven comedy.  Don’t let the trailers fool you.

By: John C. Lyons

Directed by: Paul Feig

Written by: Kristin Wiig and Annie Mumolo

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, and more

Our Rating: 8/10

There aren’t too many comedies on my radar this summer.  I loved The Hangover, but Part II is just a remake of a two year old movie.  Aside from it and the usual kid-friendly fare what do adults have to look forward to this season?  The most original, funny movie this summer may just be Bridesmaids.  I know what some of you are thinking: “A stupid chick flick?!”  And based on the marketing I might agree with you, but as I read more about this movie (which seemed to come out of left field), the more interested I got.  This is not another middle-of-the-road female-centric romantic comedy.

I trust producer/director Judd Apatow and actor/writer Kristen Wiig and they do not disappoint here.  Apatow has produced some of the best comedies of the last decade (Anchorman, 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Pineapple Express to name a few) and Kristen Wiig can do no wrong in my opinion.  She’s one of the few reasons I still give SNL the occasional look and she’s been consistently hilarious as a supporter in movies.  It was just a matter of time before she got her shot at leading a cast herself.

Bridesmaids is written by Wiig (with Annie Mumolo) so it’s tailor-made and plays right to her strengths.  She shines in her role as “Annie”, the down-on-her-luck maid of honor to Rudolph’s “Lillian”.  Wiig handles the emotional ups and downs of the character while piling on solid (and oftentimes crude) laughs.  Her timing and mannerisms are comedy gold and the film is a nice teaser to what I hope is just the beginning of more starring roles.  If Kristen Wiig can emulate Tina Fey’s career path and get a good team of supporters behind her, and maintain control of her own material, she should do well.

I love seeing this movie get good reviews and make a decent buck because it doesn’t fit the tired mold of the female ensemble rom-com.  Sure the basic storyline has been done a million times before, but it’s well-written, well-cast, and consistently funny.  Bridesmaids cares about it’s characters just as much as its laughs.  That’s refreshing.  There’s plenty to love here for women and men alike.

I saw this film at Cinemark’s Tinseltown 17 Theatres on Peach Street in Erie, PA. Click for showtimes.

Related links: Bridesmaids – official site

MPAA rating: Rated R for some strong sexuality, and language throughout.

Length: 125 minutes