Whoever says comedy is a man’s world is sadly mistaken. If for some crazy reason you don’t believe me, then go see hilarious women at work in Bridesmaids, the funniest movie so far this year. With the exception of The Hangover Part II, this may be the funniest movie of the whole year. Just like how The 40 Year-Old Virgin made Steve Carell a superstar, hopefully Bridesmaids will give Kristen Wiig the same treatment.
Annie (Wiig) has been best friends with Lillian (Maya Rudolph) for as long as they can remember. When Lillian gets engaged, Annie becomes the Maid of Honor and is in charge of a group of unique and outrageous bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Ellie Kemper). While trying to plan for her best friend’s wedding, Annie finds her own life slowly falling apart and competing with Helen (Byrne) to remain Lillian’s best friend. The rest is a wild, raunchy ride until the walk down the aisle.
All of the women in this movie are terrifically talented and undeniably funny. They all have their moments, but the spotlight is on Wiig, and deservedly so. She is amazing on SNL, but her choices of characters in movies tend to lean towards the crazy, awkward, and just plain weird. That is not saying she is not funny in these roles, but her portrayal of Annie is so grounded and full of heart. She has no real relationship with a man and she is broke because of her bakery shop failing during the Recession. Her friendship with Lillian seems to be the only stable thing in her life until she is introduced to Helen. Some of the best scenes involve the feuding between these two characters – specifically a scene in which both of them give speeches to prove how much they love Lillian.
The only other character who comes close to taking over every scene she is in is Megan (McCarthy). She looks the roughest, does not care what people think, and does what she wants when she wants. She can certainly be more crude than probably any other woman in the movie, but she can also be surprisingly helpful and a great motivator. McCarthy is the only woman who can almost match Wiig laugh for laugh, but not quite.
Bridesmaids is no chick flick. Far from it. It is rude, no-holds-barred, and gross. But with this film being directed by Paul Feig and produced by Judd Apatow, it is touching and actually meaningful. Sure, these women hold nothing back when it comes to being funny, but they are not afraid to show their softer side. No matter how much hell they go through, this movie is about lifelong and new friendships. It’s about making choices and being able to live with them with no regrets. And, it is all about being thankful for the people you know and those you will meet.
Wiig is spectacular and she, along with the rest of the cast, will make you laugh your ass off. If you like and appreciate comedies like The Hangover, Knocked Up, and Wedding Crashers, then you cannot go wrong with Bridesmaids. It belongs in the same category with those movies. It is that funny and that good.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
Check out the SoBros Shop. Become a Patron. Give us money for no reason. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Watch on YouTube.
