Expectatations Exceeded

OK, friends....
I'm back. Thanks for the kind words in recent weeks. You rule.


Well, I promised that I'd return with a review of Bridesmaids, and that's precisely what I've got today.

But FIRST, I'd like to point a little something out.

Remember a few weeks ago when I wrote that Jennifer Aniston is a huge tease who promises a nude scene with every movie, but never delivers? Remember that???

Some of you may have doubted me; some of you may have thought, "Oh, Drew. You're EXAGGERATING!" Well, I submit to the court THIS article regarding Aniston's upcoming film, Horrible Bosses:

(Pffffft.)

HA! Do you see? DO YOU SEE?!? I KNOW what I am talking about.

The Aniston hype machine is firing on all cylinders once again, just as I predicted. She does it every time, man. All I can do is shake my head at the poor saps who will line up for Horrible Bosses, only to realize in horror that Jennifer HAS a topless scene, but keeps her arms folded strategically over the bits we want to see throughout the whole thing. You poor, poor pathetic fools....


Anyway, don't say I didn't warn you. Now on to Bridesmaids, a film which, unlike Ms. Aniston, definitely DOES deliver.

Bridesmaids (2011)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1478338/


Netflix description:
When Annie is asked to be the maid of honor at her best friend's wedding, she has plenty of reasons to be reluctant. Unfazed, she plunges in anyway, taking her best bud and fellow bridesmaids on a wild trip to Vegas.

OK, so I've talked about Bridesmaids quite a bit, which I imagine must have seemed a bit strange at times, as I don't usually review movies like this, and I am...you know...a guy.

But, you see -- I never expected Bridesmaids to be a chick flick, even though that appears to have been everyone else's assumption. I could tell from early rumblings that this one was going to be a straight up, gender-neutral comedy, and was right. Also, since I'm a huge Kristen Wiig fan, I was very excited to see what she could do when given the chance. CAN Kristen Wiig write and carry a respectable feature length film???

Oh, hell yes, she can.

In Bridesmaids, Wiig plays Annie, a down-on-her-luck, generally irresponsible, failed entrepreneur. She's got a horrible track record with men, obnoxious roommates, and a sour attitude about life, in general. The film opens with an hilarious sex romp between her and a crude f-buddy played by an uncredited Jon Hamm. I know that I personally would have really enjoyed that scene, but a group of morons entered the theater two minutes into it and ruined the whole experience for me by standing around in the aisle looking for seats and obstructing my view. God, I hate people who do that. Why can't they arrive on time and find their friggin' places BEFORE the picture starts???

Anyway, Hamm rudely throws Annie out the next morning, leading to Wiig's first spot-on physical bit (and there will be many), during which she gets stuck on a moving driveway gate. Simple, but quite effective, clearly establishing how downtrodden this woman really is. Make no mistake -- Annie is a sad, pitiful person, and she will sink far lower than this by the end of the film. Only a true talent could portray a character this miserable and keep the mood of the overall picture upbeat. Hats off to you, Kristen.

(OK, OK. I'll stop gushing over her now.)

Well, to make a long story short, Annie's best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) soon announces that she's become engaged, and asks Annie to serve as the maid of honor for her wedding. A tall order, but Annie accepts, and a story unfolds that goes far deeper than the basic difficulties of planning a large marriage ceremony. See, while it is, at its core, a wild (and, at times, somewhat raunchy) comedy, Bridesmaids is also just as much a tale of friendship, growth, and the search for happiness. It's not REALLY "The Hangover with women" (as many have billed it); if anything, this movie actually reminded me more of The 40 Year-Old Virgin....

Not surprisingly, Annie's efforts to organize Lillian's nuptials are a disaster, as she's not only a bit incompetent herself, but is also indirectly sabotaged throughout the process by another jealous friend named Helen (Roise Byrne). Throw in the hilarious Wendi McLendon-Covey, The Office's Ellie Kemper, and the Mack Truck of a personality that is Melissa McCartney , and you've got yourself one hell of a talented, comedically skilled, bridal party.

These woman play off each other superbly, setting scenes that often feel more improv than scripted (in fact, I hear many bits WERE improv). For instance, the airplane sequence, during which Wiig creates a massive disturbance at 30-thousand feet after accidentally mixing a powerful sedative with scotch. Not only is SHE hilarious (some of the best physical comedy I've seen in years), but the supporting players contribute enough side action to keep the whole situation engaging from several perspectives. I think that may have been my favorite part.

(Ah, weddings. Aren't they grand?)

Eventually, the big day DOES happen and goes down nicely, but the ride to get there is long, bumpy, poignant, and often hysterical. Annie meets, hooks up with, and loses a nice Irish cop boyfriend; she screws up a dress fitting by taking everyone to a sketchy Brazilian restaurant that gives them all food poisoning; and she gets fired from both the maid of honor job, AND her regular day job (following the film's other best scene -- a profane and insult-ridden argument with a 13 year-old girl at a jewelry store).

What can I say about this movie that others haven't already? It's just plain fantastic. I was really impressed.

Now, I know that my Kristen Wiig worship may be getting a bit annoying here, but honestly -- I just wasn't prepared for how STRONG her dramatic skills were going to be. Annie is a sympathetic character whose emotions never feel forced in the slightest. Yet, she's also laughable, during both the outrageous moments, and the much more subtle ones (and a lot of the jokes in this film ARE, believe it or not, very low-key). Wiig simply gives an award-worthy performance in Bridesmaids, and should be recognized for it.

Not to mention her chemistry with Maya Rudolph. It's obvious almost the second we see them together, and our two leads never feel like anything less than genuine friends. Their jokes are clever; their conversations are believable; and their serious moments are heartfelt....A perfectly-matched couple of leads, I must say.

And that's where it all comes together -- excellent casting, backed by a smart script.

For once, I was excited to see a movie, and didn't walk away from it feeling let down. Bridesmaids is an excellent comedy which confirms my suspicion that Kristen Wiig is a hell of a lot more than a twitchy, loud-mouthed sketch comedy actress, and it deserves the box office success it's receiving so far. I hope this motion picture has staying power. My only complaints are that it feels sliiiightly anticlimactic, has a FEW bits that run a little long, and doesn't feature nearly enough of Wendy McClendon Covey.

But none of those things come close to being deal breakers. I advise both guys and gals alike to check out Bridesmaids. It's the best comedy I've seen in years.

4 out of 5.

b.