Review of Bridesmaids (2011) by Hector C — 06 Jan 2013

Letâ(TM)s be honest. There arenâ(TM)t that many female comedians; in fact the only female comedians I can think of, off the top of my head, are Andi Osho, Sarah Milican and Sue Perkins. And perhaps in correlation with this fact, is the rarity of a female dominated comedy. There are loads of male dominated comedies (The Hangover, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Anchorman), but a sparse amount of female dominated ones. This all changes with Bridesmaids.

Co-writer and star Kristen Wiig is Annie, a single, thirtysomething woman who lives in Milwaukee in Wisconsin. Kristen Wiigâ(TM)s performance is simply hilarious, delivering superbly as the miserable woman, whose negative outlook of life causes a few ruckuses at the jewellery store she works at, after her bakery, Cake Baby, failed.

But things seem to get better when Annie is chosen by her bestest friend in the whole wide world Lillian to be her Maid of Honour. Joining the crew of Bridesmaids are Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), Lillian's cynical and foul-mouthed cousin, frustrated with parenthood and married life, Becca (Ellie Kemper), Lillian's weak-willed co-worker and friend. Rose Byrne is Helen Hunt III, a rich, snobby bitch who wants to steal the limelight from Annie, and become Maid of Honour at Lillianâ(TM)s wedding. Obviously this sparks a rivalry, leading to a hilarious scene in which, during a tennis doubles match, they hit tennis balls at each other, both eager to show off.

But its Melissa McCarthy that arguably shuns Wiig from the limelight (but remember Wiig did co-write), often punching you in the face with funny lines, like âIâ(TM)m gonna climb that like a treeâ?, made mouth-wateringly funny with McCarthyâ(TM)s aggressive tone and comic timing. She portrays Megan, Lillianâ(TM)s overweight sister-in-law-to-be, who brings Annie back from the dead after sheâ(TM)s booted from her position as Maid of Honour, loses her flat, then her job and is uninvited from the wedding completely.

But, while everything is going very badly, Annie finds joy in Nathan, an Irish police officer portrayed by the amusing Chris Oâ(TM)Dowd. Sparks fly and Wiig and Oâ(TM)Dowd have surprisingly great chemistry, creating a romantic comedy vibe.

Bridesmaids is outrageous and goes to whole new levels of wrong, but it also has a good storyline about romance and friendship. And itâ(TM)s bloody hilarious.