Bridesmaids

Written by Alex Sukhoy for Film Slate Magazine.

four slates out of five

What if Judd Apatow (“40 Year Old Virgin,” “Knocked Up”) could turn the tables and produce a film about women behaving badly? What if he could cast some of the funniest female comedians acting out the most absurd situations? And, what if the movie told the real story of how women truly feel each time another announces an engagement? This film would be “Bridesmaids” and it delivers on all of the above.

Starring Kristen Wiig as Annie, the thirty-something and financially strapped singleton, the story begins when her childhood BFF Lillian (Maya Rudolph) shares the exciting news that her boyfriend has proposed. Annie now has the distinct privilege of planning the shower, the dresses, the bachelorette party and all the other joys that come with supporting one’s closest friend in her most important moment.

Shortly following the announcement, Annie’s boss fires her, her roommates kick her out and Lillian’s new rich and polished friend Helen threatens the only meaningful relationship Annie holds. As a result, Annie moves back in with her mother (the late Jill Clayburgh), reaches rock bottom and, to make matters worse, gets pulled over for speeding.  But this is also where her destiny changes: the cop, Rhodes, an adorable Irishman, (Chris O’Dowd, “Pirate Radio”) falls for this erratic, insecure woman and encourages her to pursue her life’s real bliss: baking.

As the film’s events unveil and the other bridesmaids’ behavior unfolds, revealing bickering, back-stabbing and bitchiness, Annie’s left to question what it all means. Luckily, the film rarely dwells on that deep emotional abyss one would expect from a chick flick and instead makes the audience laugh.

The comedic cast also includes TV funny ladies Ellie Kemper (“The Office”), Wendi McLendon-Covey (“Rules of Engagement”) and the gut-roaring, scene-stealing Melissa McCarthy (“Mike and Molly”). Each line she delivers is comedic hilarity. Her character manages to not only make the film funnier than it would have been without her, but, additionally, supplies the moment of clarity that Annie needs most.

“Bridesmaids” also gives the men a chance to add spice and flavor. Terry Crews (“Everybody Hates Chris”) channels his inner Boot Camp Instructor while Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”) plays the absurd, rich friend with benefits. Between this role and his ongoing appearances on “30 Rock,” Hamm, best known as the sultry, mysterious Don Draper, now offers his range as a complete actor, swinging between drama and comedy with great ease.

In “Bridesmaids,” Wiig finally has a movie vehicle that showcases her talents. With physical comedy her strength and her unapologetic drive to push each joke and each situation to its extreme, no matter how absurd, she advances the story, scene by scene.

Ultimately “Bridesmaids” is the very first movie to speak the impolite truth of what happens when women stop being polite ladies, and instead, are allowed to be themselves. This is what Apatow’s entire film portfolio has shown us about men and he’s finally achieved it for both sexes.

DIRECTOR: Paul Feig SCREENWRITERS: Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo PRODUCERS: Judd Apatow, Paul Feig, Kristen Wiig CAST: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O’Dowd, Jon Hamm RUN TIME: 125 minutes MPAA RATING: R