Bridesmaids Post-Release

I really want to see this and am in the middle of making plans for it with some friends tonight.  Hope it comes together.

They tried hard. Really, really, really, really hard. Every punchline is drowned in effort.

Aside from Wiig, who's lovable and hopefully going to be a big star, this didn't get much beyond 'good enough' for me. The human story was very strong, but as a comedy, just OK.

I like Wiig and Rudolph a lot, and I am very interested in a lady-powered comedy that isn't some bottom craping, asinine romcom, but I'm not really sold on this picture. I don't want to see a film based solely on novelty of concept.

 

It's a terrific movie and easily the best "female-centric" movie in many years.   It plays both as a raunchy R-rated gross-out comedy and a very real depiction of female friendship.   I liked it a great deal.  It also has a charming romance subplot with Chris O'Dowd which really worked for me. 

 

At this point, we need to start a "Free Kristen Wiig from SNL" campaign, because she has consistently proven to be a decent, subtle comedic actress in films and a one-note, annoying character machine on SNL. 

I think this one meets your qualifications. It is NOT your generic, LCD stereotypical romantic wish fulfillment. Wiig plays a real person who's life spirals downward not because of outside forces but because she's a fuck up, and she has to realize it and own it. The film really neatly sidesteps some expected and formulaic turns and laughs: there's a moment when almost any other film would have had Wiig spill her drink, but it never happens; also, it threatened to go into musical montage mode and show us her magically reviving her business, but doesn't. (There is a montage in the film, but it works and makes sense. The montage is not a cheat or a way of not showing us how something actually happens.)

 

There are also some gigantic laughs. Taking a page from HANGOVER, the post-credit sequence almost put me on the floor.

 

And the film should be applauded for treating the characters with love and respect, even the less fleshed out ones.

 

HOWEVER.....I think the above comments do apply: tries too hard. Does not rise beyond "good" to "great." I think it's actually a fairly uneven movie, with the first half or 2/3 loaded with jokes and gags, and the film takes a hard turn in more serious territory which doesn't entirely work - not because you don't believe it, but because it's too incongruous with the earlier parts of the film. I also thought the film was just too long; it could have easily lost a good 15-20 minutes and been a much better film.

 

Melissa McCarthy's a revelation, though; she steals the picture. And manages to have a pivotal, semi-serious scene.

 

Edited by MichaelM - 5/15/11 at 5:59am

This movie just PLAYED to a sold-out audience tonight.  I missed a lot of lines due to all of the laughter.

 

But I agree.  The laughs weren't consistent and I can see some of the effort to get the laughs.  But I still really liked this for the story itself.  The film that I thought of during it, oddly, was Spider-Man 2.  Kristen Wiig as the down-on-his-luck Peter Parker in terms of how much I was able to empathize with the characters in both films.  Because of that empathy (which was one of many of Freaks & Geeks' strengths), I didn't mind so much that the film wasn't always as funny as it was trying to be.  I haven't seen much of Wiig in SNL, but her performance here is a far cry from the almost alien-like roles she seems to play on the show.

 

Also, it was quite the night for Jason Bateman.  The movie was preceded by trailers for both Horrible Bosses and The Change-Up (both of which were met with howls of laughter) and then we would later see a photo of a young Bateman on the gift that Wiig gives to Maya Rudolph.  I actually said, "Him again?"  Hehehe.

 

Also... how is it that Rose Byrne looks sad no matter what role or movie she's in?

 

 

Much of that blame can be put at Lorne Michaels' feet, and other SNL producers. They're constantly searching for the next water cooler catch phrase or repeatable character, with far less interest in if it's actually any good or helps showcase great talent like Wiig.
 

 

I think it's just how her face is shaped, But I meant to add in my first post: holy shit is she gorgeous in this. I don't mean "gimme some o' dat" - I mean she's just almost luminously beautiful. I have a feeling she's going to be another Diane Lane; someone who simply becomes more sharply attractive as she gets older.

 

I can't fucking stand Wiig on SNL. I seriously fast forward if it's a sketch involving a recurring character of hers. She's great in this, and it's a very funny movie cut from the Freaks and Geeks cloth.

 

And Maya Rudolph's never had this kind of showcase either. You're missing out if you dismiss it.

Is this another Apatow movie that's masquerading as a good time but really is about how you should give up on those crazy dreams of yours and conform to society's expectations?

 

No love for AWAY WE GO? I thought Rudolph was pretty terrific in that.

 

Refresh my memory.  Which Apatow movies had characters giving up on their crazy dreams?  I don't recall this.

Knocked-Up w/ Rogen's character and the celebrity porn site is the only one that I can think of that fits that specific definition, but there's never a doubt that it's a BS pipe dream anyway. I think what Sebastian OB is going on about is the whole manchild growing up and embracing domesticity and genuine adult responsibility thing. I'm not a traditionalist, but I don't think that's a bad thing per se, so I'm not sure why it's an issue - if it is.

 

And to answer an earlier question, yes, my main concern was that this was "The Hangover with women", which would be boring. If it is not, and has its own identity, then that's all good.

As much as I loved Knocked-Up at the time (have cooled on it considerably since), that Rogen just turns his life around via montage always rang a little hollow to me.  And now, it rings REALLY hollow.

 

Your points about the film's class-consciousness is one of the main reasons I got very invested in Wiig's character (oh god, the EMPATHY!). 

 

She's having a good year so far, between this and the leftfield success of Insidious. 

 

It's not. In fact, the bachelorette party ends up getting scrapped because...well, I don't want to spoil anymore of it.

 

Frankly, IMNSHO, this could have used a bit more of HANGOVER-style comedy and a bit less of the third act drama. As I said, it's a solidly good flick but more than a little uneven.

 

That's not the part that's difficult to swallow about Knocked Up. In March of 2010, I was laid off from a bullshit job that paid far less than it should have, my girlfriend of two years broke up with me, and I moved out and into a friend's spare bedroom, all at once. I was broke (spent all my money on the girl, and a condo she insisted we move into, but could barely afford), and I was severely heartbroken. But, I was determined not to sink -- I submitted my resume and portfolio everywhere and less than a month later, I found my very first desk job -- one that pays better than what most people my age make. I cooked and cared for my friend's house to pay him back while I worked and saved. A few weeks after landing the office gig, I got my own apartment. Three months after that, I bought my first brand new car.

 

My point is that, if you want to turn your life around, all it takes is determination and effort. I basically turned my life around in rapid, almost montage-like fashion.

 

The part that's difficult to swallow about Knocked Up is the issues in the relationship between Allison and Ben, and how they're resolved. Allison constantly felt she was of a higher class, and was better than Ben. That doesn't go away after reading the baby books and knowing what to do when she goes into labor -- that's a more deep-rooted problem, probably from her own ego and feelings of superiority. The dynamic of their relationship will always be him trying to impress her and live up to her standards, and her never being satisfied. And that's no way to live.

The ending of Knocked Up is very carefully designed. If you want a happily ever after ending, you can imply that, or if you think they're going to go home, struggle with each other for a week and call it quits, there's no reason to think otherwise. It's one of the better things in Knocked Up, for me. 

 

Oh yeah, Bridesmaids. Still pretty good. 

Loved it.

Great to see some a nice strong character in Annie. I really empathized and related to her(going through similar situations), and just plain enjoyed her whenever she was on the screen. I almost wanted the movie to be longer, just so we could spend more time with these characters. I wanted to see the Vegas trip, I wanted to see what happened with Annie and Rhodes and especially what happens with Megan and Air Marshall Jon. Gotta say this is better than most Apatow directed films, although I always thought Feig was a stronger director than Apatow, always able to reach a better emotional center and such.

 

Anyways, great job for Paul's first film! Sign me up for more!

This movie is so much better/funnier then The Hangover and Knocked Up.  And yeah, the fact that it doesn't get wrapped up super easily for Wiig is a testament to the writers really knowing complex emotion and character.  I love that she can't win back the guy by simply backing a fucking cake.  I love that she doesn't reopen her cake shop.  The emotional payload comes with her dancing all goofy with her best friend.  That's the goods.

The moment that Wiig's performance completely pulled me in?

 

When Maya Rudolph tells her the big news and goes to the kitchen as Wiig just silently laughs and laughs and laughs and laughs and laughs.

I guess I have a chick's mentality, because not only did I think this movie balanced the humor and drama so well and with great consistency - I do not understand this "trying too hard" offensive. I've never seen anyone say that about the male-centric flicks. Which brings me to: whoever calls this "The Hangover for girls" just plain did not seen the movie. 

 

Wiig should seal her blindingly bright future with this script and a wonderful performance. And I really dug Chris O'Dowd and their relationship, and as Parker said, how just because she baked a cake, he didn't simply have a change of heart.

 

Bit that slayed me: the setup and punchline of the pre-wedding party 'party favors'. Not only the reveal of the puppies, but Wiig attempting to take one on her way out after her incredibly insane tirade, and Maya exclaiming "NO! She does not get a party favor!" fucking killed it.

 

Best flick I've seen so far this year. Yeah I said it. 

Not enough time is spent making Maya Rudolph not come off like a really shitty friend until the last 10 minutes. Only true complaint for a movie that is just miles better than I ever expected. Between Whip It, Paul, and this, this is officially the year Kristen Wiig stops pissing me off. Her and Melissa McCarthy absolutely obliterate any expectations I had about where this movie would take those two characters. And that's on top of the film as a whole being insanely funny.

 

I haven't seen KNOCKED UP - I'm not really a Rogen fan, at least not when he's the lead - but I think HANGOVER is a funnier and more consistent film. (However, HANGOVER isn't really about a character arc at all, save for maybe the dentist character. BRIDESMAIDS is really about the characters growing and changing.) The things you love about BRIDESMAIDS I also love - I think they're real strengths, and while I think the script could have used some tightening and polish (did you notice the blonde and redhead bridesmaids sort of just disappear after we start learning more about them?), I loved that Wiig and the other writer sidestepped the usual bullshit story wrap ups.

 

I think there's a huge disparity between the film in the beginning - especially the dress-fitting sequence and the plane ride to Vegas, erm, Wyoming, and the latter parts. I don't mean in that Wiig's character can't heal the relationship by baking, but that it's a sudden and precipitous shift in tone, and the film really struggles with regaining its comedic momentum in later scenes (the driving montage, fer instance, seemed especially strained).

 

There's a lot to love about the movie, but I also think there are some significant flaws.
 

 

Count me in the 'good but not great' column. The chemistry between Wiig and Rudolph is the main selling point (zomg, an actual female friendship!) and the jealous cattiness of the Wiig/Byrne dynamic is great and, I am sure, relatable. But it suffers from the same problem as most of Apatow's films: it just feels so long. A lot of scenes feel like they just go on a liiiiiittle too long. The airplane scene, while important, is an exercise in beating a dead horse. And I wanted to see more of the blonde and redhead bridesmaids (or whatsherface from The Office and whatsherface from Reno 911), could have helped stem the 'oh my god, this movie hates Kristen Wiig' feel it began to get around the halfway point. I know characters are supposed to go through some shit, but damn, when it rains, it fucking pours.

 

Definitely turned around on Wiig, cannot stand her on SNL and most of her early roles but this is a breath of fresh air. Great, great character and she's a damn fine actress.

Have to confess to talking out my ass on that one. Haven't seen that yet.

 

 

I wouldn't call it great, but it's solidly good. Rudolph and Krasinski play a very believable couple; the friends they visit tend to hover on the boderline of parodies or exaggerations, but the film remains grounded on the main couple. Thankfully, like BRIDESMAIDS, it doesn't fall for the usual manufactured second act falling out plot device. It's a smaller, quiet film (for the most part) and one that really gets what being part of a serious couple, past the initial googly eyes and stomach butterflies, is like.
 

 

Loved this. It was a bit uneven and suffered from some pacing issues, but the performances more than made up for it. The introduction of Melissa Macarthy's character had me on the floor. Two things: 1.) If I hear one more person call this "the female HANGOVER" I'm going to lose it. It's all I heard leaving the theater. Did we see the same movie? 2.) Why have Tim Heidecker from Tim and Eric in the film and give him ZERO lines?!

Quote:

And shes got X-Men right around the corner.

 

Anyway, I liked this quite a bit.  I thought it was kind of bloated towards the end (I get kind of fussy when comedies hit that 2 hour mark), but the laughs are consistent and I'm a big fan of Wiig.  Shes funny, but apparently a pretty solid writer as well.  Script seemed very much in line with Apatow's sensibilities. 

 

In regards to the comparisons to The Hangover - I think a lot of that comes from how the movie was marketed unfortunately.  Which is why the airplane scene was so fucking great.  The crowd was so amped for the big raunchy Vegas bachelorette party (the ladies even get that Hangover slo-mo group shot walking through the terminal), but the typically quick 'in transit' scene just keeps building up, culminating in Wiig's breakdown, and suddenly they are landing in Kansas or wherever and that's that.  Loved the way they played with people's expectations.

 

I would have loved "The Hangover with women". Instead we got another "women be catty bitches" movie. Do. Not. Like. Scratch that, I liked everything involving Megan and any Wiig scene that did not involve her aping her Penelope character from SNL. I wanted zany adventures with a group of women who actually like each other, not Mean Girls with adults. One day this elusive comedy will happen.*

 

That said, poop always gets a laugh. The bridesmaid dress shopping scene definitely won the movie followed by post-credit sex romp.

 

*So far, The Sweetest Thing comes the closest.

Finally saw this last night and was had a great time with it overall. The film is damn funny, but I was surprised at what a good job Wiig did in making Annie feel like a real human being. I've always found her unbearable on SNL (but then again I find just about all of that show unbearable) and have only seen her in much smaller roles elsewhere. This is the first time I've really enjoyed seeing her on screen, hopefully this film gives her a chance to get more interesting roles in the future.

 

While I did enjoy it, the movie could have used some trimming. It felt like I was watching the Extended & Uncut DVD version of the film. I wouldn't have minded a few cuts in scenes like the attempt to have the final toast at the engagement party for some more moments for Rudolph and the other Bridesmaids.

Finally got off my lazy ass to see this. Was surprised by how uneven the film was. A lot of dud scenes. But damn if the funny scenes weren't fucking funny. I really enjoyed it a lot, but I'm also inclined to agree with Diva. I'm still waiting for my SUPERBAD with girls.

The film didn't strike me as 'women be catty bitches' movie.  I keep screaming about empathy in regards to this movie, and I felt that the comedy that came from Wiig's sense of failure and inferiority was very universal.  Perhaps it says more about me, but I didn't read anyone as catty.

 

Yeah, I also didn't think anyone came across as catty. I thought the film actually did a very good job communicating some pretty universal situations: haven't we all dealt with some jealousy and insecurity when close friends get new friends - especially new friends who seem to have in spades what you lack, be it money, athletic ability, popularity, etc.?

I thought it was pretty great.

 

The Sweetest Thing is a nightmare of a movie, Diva.

I've had numerous friends tell me they've been engaged.* Never once did I turn into a crazy person. I also don't buy that if Rudolph and Wiig (I cant remember any of the character's names) were actually best friends, that Wiig wouldn't have met - or at least heard about - Rudolph's other friend. And I certainly don't buy that Wiig would be put in change of party planning by herself. Usually, there's a committee or the maid of honor consults with the bride about what she wants. I think the scenes with just Wiig and Rudolph were great. The opening scene where Rudolph was teasing Wiig about her evening's exploits was touching and showed a great rapport between the two friends, as were the final scenes jamming to Wilson Phillips. I missed that comradarie in the rest of the film.

 

Yes, there are insecure women. And yes, there are wedding horror stories about people not getting along. But this territory is well worn and not really all that funny. The funniest scenes to me did not have to do with Penelope, er Wiig, trying to one-up rich lady. Rather I was dying at scenes like the poop scene because the jokes weren't at the expense at any one person. Anyone can get food poisoning and get caught in an unfortunate situation where you gotta go STAT!

 

Honestly, I'm not blind to the fact that I'm mostly annoyed at the premise of the film rather than it's execution. But a female buddy movie, in which the characters all get along, and the laughs come from the protagonists getting caught up in unusual circumstances (ala The Hangover) is much more appealing than what this film actually turned out to be.

 

And Matchstick, I referenced the Sweetest Thing in light of the above comment about the rarity of movies in which the female characters actually get along. It's far from a perfect film, but in that regard, it gets it right.

 

*ETA: Yes, I realize part of the film's message is that Wiig is insecure and self-sabotaging. But the movie had her behave in completely over the top ways that I found unrealistic, but more importantly unfunny. A scene where someone completely embarrasses themselves during a toast is one thing. But to have the character repeatedly embarrass themselves over a 15 minute period was just too much.

First, I think one area I can agree with Diva (and it's been mentioned previously): the movie is too long and too loose. The script needed another polish and tightening up. Second, I think Diva's critiques are valid. I get why she didn't like the film. While I have argued and do think that the film nicely sidesteps some very worn and easy, cheap comedy tropes, this film certainly did reinvent the wheel. Third, it was pretty much marketed as the female version of The Hangover and it was really not that at all.

 

However, the things that bugged Diva - things like Wiig's character having never even heard of Byrne's character - I simply accepted as film shorthand for what felt like a universal situation (long time best/close friend feeling threatened by new friend). I don't think the film was meant to be ultra-realistic or meticulous in its set up.  I agree that when closely examined, a lot of the connecting tissue falls apart (or is revealed as nonexistent). And yet it worked (mostly) for me. And I think subsequent viewings will reveal how uneven the movie is. (I'm also wondering if the film will suffer from second viewings at home, away from a ready audience; this is one area I think comparing it to The Hangover is apt, as I didn't find it nearly as fun to watch at home with a couple of friends as I did with a theater full of folks ready to laugh).

 

 

Yeah, the Byrne character is the only one who really exhibits (passive agressive) cattyness frequently, and that's because she doesn't really know any other way to win friends than to lavish them with expensive gifts and plan fancy events for them while being shitty to the person's other friends and making them feel like they can't compete with her.. Maya Rudolph gets pissed when Wiig goes off at her bridal party, but it was justified.

 

Any time Wiig and rich lady tried to one up each other (the whole film) I groaned. It was awful to watch and well-worn territory. Everything else was cool. I really liked the supporting cast, but they were underutilized. After the failed Vegas trip, the other two brides maids all but disappeared; though the increase in Megan was worth it. The movie needed more of Wiig and Rudolph bonding. That's the heart of the film. Even in a film like Wedding Crashers, the two male leads were supportive of each other for most of the film, and it was with an outsider that the rivalry took place. Maybe, I wouldn't have minded the Wiig/rich chick nonsense if Rudolph's character had a bigger role to play. But she just sort stepped out of the ring and let the other two battle it out. That's not what friends do; so when I hear people claiming this movie shows a realistic portrayal of female bonding, I scoff. Two (or more) women showing a strong female connection is a rarity outside of Sex and the City, and that was sorely lacking in the film. I concede my expectations of what the movie could be influence my feelings on it. But, on the flip side, I had very few laughs while watching the film (and almost all of them involved Megan).

I think it's probably your expectations and your dislike of Wiig, actually.
 
I don't think the movie was as strong as the critics made it out to be, but I think it lost some of its impact (for me anyway) because they gave away a lot of the great jokes to market it.
 
Actually, I think it's interesting that you are criticizing the movie for something that I think they actually intentionally put a damper on. The filmmakers obviously were hesitant to make Rose Bryne's character unsympathetic, or 100% the villain. She was in an unhappy marriage, had virtually no friends, and her step kids hate her. Instead, they made Wiig's insecurities the true villain of the movie. And that feels a little weird for a comedy. You kind of want Byrne to be the villain, because that's more what were used to seeing. Instead, their rivalry comes across a little undercooked.  And Wiig's character's behavior at the shower, while funny, out of left field a bit.

 

I think the movie is a cartoon, for sure. But it does have some nice moments of reality that are rare for the more mainstream comedies. The movie is basically a showcase for Wiig, and she has a lot of great moments in this. I thought all of the woman (minus Rudolph, unfortunately) had great stuff. Maybe there will be more of a balance in the sequel.
 

Good points, Matchstick.

I was on my iPhone before so had to keep it short. Just want to follow up by saying that it wasn't Bryne being sympathetic that bothered me as much as the movie relying on the rivalry for all the jokes. There are funny things that happen to people without one person intentionally trying to sabotage another. Scenes like the food poisoning scene or Megan and her insistence that the guy next to her was an air marshall are funny without the other baggage dragging it down. Secondly, I really like Wiig in her movie roles. And in the scenes where she was relating to Rudolph or the cop, I really dug them. It's when she would get all SNL-y with her mugging to camera and over the top caricatures that I tuned out.

As much as I enjoyed the movie I have to agree with Diva. The Wiig/Byrne rivalry really only dragged the movie's pace down and served to draw more screen time from the other characters. While appreciated the depth that was given to both of their characters, and I definitely empathized with Wiigs' own unhappiness being her fault and no one else's, for what was ostensibly an ensemble comedy with a 2+ hour run time it was criminal how little screen time the other characters got.

 

 

Saw this on saturday, and had a great time with it. M'lady really liked it a lot. She's a fan of Mike And Molly, so Megan had her in stitches. One thing I've really come to hate from the film, and I was just discussing this with her yesterday, was Wiig's roommates. They were worthless characters, and could have been excised from the film. I didn't laugh at them, and they were just plain weird and grotesque. Was that the purpose of them? To be weird and grotesque? She told me her take on them was to show that Wiig is really in the dumps financial wise, and this showed that her life was already in the dumps.

Yeah, I found her roommates pretty obnoxious and unfunny as well.

 

I do agree with Diva that the film could've used more to really allow us to feel the friendship between Wiig and Rudolph.  Because their friendship was mostly established as a status quo as opposed to being something that was dramatized much, I felt that the ending was a little flat.  The two of them dancing together at the wedding didn't feel as satisfying as it seems like it should've.

I know I'm a couple of months late, but I just wanted to add my two cents in case anyone needs some extra change. First off, this thing might still be going strong as I the theater I saw it in was mostly packed, complete with a lady that brought her infant in a stroller and set up a Bumbo (TM) in one of the seats. I think word of mouth is really selling this thing. I'm constantly told that this is funnier than The Hangover II, so I think people who feel burned by that want to catch this to reach their quota of laughs. My main complaint of the film: too long. Here's the things that I would cut.

 

1. Glad to see I'm not the only one that thought the roommate bit fell flat. These characters screamed "Unrated Extended Cut". You could've just had an eviction scene of some sort to have the Wiig character truly reach bottom.

 

2. The romance. I know that people really like the English cop character and are glad to see the actor get a bigger role, but this whole bit left me cold and checking my watch. This was the one aspect of the film that announced that the movie was still a chick flick at heart, like the writers said, "oh we gotta have the love story!". I know that most films have the whole "boy meets girl angle", but this added to the film's length and kept it from being a WHAM! BAM! comedy classic. I for one would like to see a chick flick without the love story part. Why did the main character have to have a relationship to sort of represent a facet of her salvation? Why couldn't her development come in the form of standing up to Don Draper and realizing that the future was wide open, etc. It could have focused more on the female friendships, etc....I realize that whether a film is male or female centric, they have these romance stories shoe horned in, but here's to hoping this paves the way for something more. Seems like it already did make some big firsts.