Bridesmaids

Kristen Wiig is one of the rarities from Saturday Night Live that was able to be great on the show and make the transition to films successfully. Bridesmaids was one of the best examples of this. It is more than just the use of a character, or trope, in a feature film. It is the use of a powerfully gifted comedian in a smart, funny role. It is the female counterpart to the male driven Hangover. Wiig is beautifully supported, and enhanced, by Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper, and SNL's Maya Rudolph. Melissa McCarthy is shocking and funny in this one. She has some of the film's funniest scenes. Judd Apatow did a terrific job making a film driven by an all female cast that is not just for women. Jon Hamm has a small, buy very funny role in this one.

Let's be honest: when we saw the first trailer for Bridesmaids, who among us didn't think it looked like a dismal rehash of The Hangover (only this one, of course, features a "ratpack" of women)? Imagine my surprise, then, when I discovered that Bridesmaids is better than The Hangover. I have yet to see The Hangover Part 2, so I can't comment on any similarities/differences that might or might not exist. But one thing is for sure: Kristen Wiig has proved her worth as a female lead with a serious amount of comedic clout.

The story isn't revolutionary: one of two best friends is getting married, and everything involved with said nuptials is threatening to tear their lifelong friendship apart. At the center of this battle is Helen, a newly acquired "friend"—via the merging of two exclusive social circles—who begins taking over the wedding plans for Lillian (Rudolph). Annie (Wiig) makes it her mission to take out this she-devil, and what follows is the setup for one of the more memorable meltdowns (among a plethora of other things) to come along in quite some time. Bridesmaids is also peppered with the sort of humor that made movies like Superbad and Knocked Up so funny—it's observant and kitschy in that it rightly jabs several other films that have braved similar issues. In fact, the previously mentioned Hangover is, in at least a very minute way, one of these movies. In what initially appears to be a sad "bow" to The Hangover as king of the pre-wedding funnies, the girls decide to go to Vegas for Lillian's bachelorette party. This ends up being a perfectly welcome curve ball, though, as screenwriters Wiig and Mumolo brilliantly utilize the length of the plane trip to said destination to further flesh out their characters and create an impressively humorous string of in-flight mishaps.

There are a number of other contributors who make Bridesmaids work extraordinarily well, but, as is the case with any solid piece of cinema, it's best if you set aside some time to take in the whole thing in one fell swoop and let it unravel of its own volition. Sure, it's extraordinarily raunchy from time to time, but the nuanced, perfectly- timed moments of comedic genius make it a very worthwhile trip.

I haven't finished watching bridesmaids for the first time I just saw the moment when Melissa McCarthy character says she never bloats. That It's a gift.

She is so adorable while saying this! I watched this moment several times. She really is a very talented actress! Love her!

So far it is very entertaining movie except one or two uncomfortable script moments. Wedding speech scene was hilarious. So was tennis game. Girly competition. Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne are both great. Sometimes it gets sad like cupcake scene but it is funny at the same time.

I'm going back to watching the rest of the movie. There was one scene with Chris O'Dowd. Can't wait to see more of him. Another talented actor. Love him as well.

So this is the first comedy with a mostly female cast that blew me out of the water. Its as good as comedy gets - period. Right at the top with 1 other (which I'd rather not name for reasons).

I had already liked Wiig but this was her crowning achievement. It was also the movie that but Melissa McCarthy's career on the fast-track to stardom. Solid performances from the rest of the cast who all deserve a mention.

The film is filled with side-splitting hilarity.

I loved the toasting scene at the shower and the awkward one-upwomanship that ensued.

The plane scene has so many quotes and Wiig's genius shines so brightly.

Then the dress-trying scene had me rolling.

I've probably rewatched this movie as many or more times than any other. I've also recommended it as much or more than any other.

A masterpiece film that just so happens to be a comedy!

For this film to work it has to be funny - and it isn't. I'll pretty much laugh at anything - I even thought Tropic Thunder was hilarious, Satan's Alley, now thats funny. But I sat through this and didn't laugh, smirk or smile once. Its not that i don't get Kristen Wiig, in fact I think she steals her scenes in Knocked Up and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, where she is fantastic ("Its not a competition, but you're best"). She's also probably the best thing in Paul as a god bothering hillbilly.

But why doesn't this film work for me? Well it just isn't funny - there's no genuine humour in someone being drugged up and doing bad things on a plane, or people getting food poisoning and needing to defecate on the street. You would expect a lot from the people who put together this movie but they don't deliver.